‘Have Confidence In Care’ Says New Campaign

A new campaign from the Care Council for Wales has been launched to help promote a better understanding and appreciation of the social care profession in Wales and the services they provide.

The ‘Confidence in Care’ campaign is ultimately designed to raise awareness and understanding of the Code of Practice for Social Care Workers, which plays a crucial role in the overall regulation of those employed by the social care sector in Wales.

Targeting the estimated 150,000 people across the country currently receiving social care services, their carers and the general public, the Wales-wide campaign will see posters and flyers about the Code of Practice being distributed via numerous channels including charities, voluntary organisations, social services departments, GP surgeries and libraries. These posters and flyers were developed in consultation with service user and carer groups to ensure they had an opportunity to have their say on the materials and the messages.

The Code sets out a national set of standards to which social care workers must adhere upon registration with the Care Council. It details the standards of behaviour expected of social care workers, ensuring that workers know what is expected of them and service users, carers and the public know what they can expect from the profession.

Gerry Evans, Director of Standards and Regulation at the Care Council for Wales commented: “Regulation of the social care workforce is essential to enhance public protection for service users and to ultimately increase public confidence in the social care sector. The Code of Practice for Social Care Workers is a key part of regulating the profession and it is important that those receiving social care services in Wales are aware of its content and implications.

“By launching this campaign, we aim to bring the Code of Practice to life and make it meaningful, relevant and tangible to both service users and the general public and in doing so, help illustrate the high standards to which social care professionals in Wales operate.”

The Minister for Health and Social Services, Dr Brian Gibbons AM said: “The ‘Confidence in Care’ campaign is an ideal opportunity to raise the profile of social care in Wales and enhance the image of social care workers and in doing so, encourage people to recognise the job these people do. I am pleased we have the opportunity to create a wider understanding of the role of social care workers in Wales, while also promoting high standards and best practices in the workforce.”

Published four years ago in 2002, social care workers must agree to adhere to the Code when they register with the Care Council. The Care Council is responsible for the registration of those working in the social care sector in Wales. The register is a public record that those registered have met the requirements for entry onto the register and have agreed to abide by the standards set out in the Code of Practice. Social workers must register to practice in Wales. The process for registering other groups of social care workers is now underway.