Resources: Improving English, number and digital skills in social care
By Reports & Resources, ,

Everyone working in adult social care needs English, number, digital and employability skills, including team work, and problem solving skills. Together these are known as core skills. They enable workers to provide high quality care and support, to complete qualifications and training, and ensure services meet sector standards and regulatory requirements.  

Skills for Care has resources to help you, as a social care worker, develop your core skills. If you’re a manager or team leader, there is a practical guide to help you develop the core skills of your workers.

Core skills in practice

Core skills ensure social care workers can complete everyday tasks like:

  • communicating with the people they support
  • writing a care plan
  • reading and following a risk assessment
  • booking a health appointment online
  • recording fluid intake and output
  • working in a team.

Core skills are important for all social care workers in range of roles and at different levels. They could be also be used to:

  • manage complaints
  • calculate budgets and forecasts
  • update and manage a website
  • construct in depth performance reports
  • lead and support a team
  • review and improve workplace policies.

Why you can’t ignore core skills in social care

Skills gaps in the sector

A report by UKCES claims that despite a surge in job openings, the number of positions left vacant because employers cannot find people with the skills or knowledge to fill them has risen by 130% since 2011 in the UK.

In the health and social care sector, around 19% of employers reported having skills gaps in their workforce (compared to 15% for total economy).

Core skills ensure you have the right skills to work and progress in the social care sector.

Social care is all about communicating

The recent #hellomynameis twitter campaign highlighting the importance of introductions in social care.

The campaign was started by Dr Kate Grainger who, after a stay in hospital, made the stark observation that many staff did not introduce themselves before delivering care.
 
High quality care is underpinned by good communication skills, one of the core skills you need as a social care worker.

CQC requirements

Reporting is now an important aspect of any social care service, to ensure you can evidence how the care you provide meets CQC key lines of enquiry.

English skills, including writing, reading and spoken communication, ensure that this evidence is recorded accurately.

Increasing demands to make the move to digital

In one survey, we found that 95% of participants used digital technology for at least one work related activity. Digital technology is increasingly being used across a range of social care tasks including the use of: e:learning, assistive technology such as falls monitors, digital care plans, telecare systems and internet searches.

Digital skills ensure you are confident using appropriate digital technology in your role.

Keeping workers happy and healthy

The Health and Safety Executive describes stress at work as a ‘major problem,’ accounting for around 40% of all work-related illness.

Work-related stress is a particular issue in social care. Yes, care work is rewarding: but it is also inherently stressful.

The ability to manage your own resilience, health and wellbeing is one of the core skills needed to ensure you stay happy and healthy, and therefore motivated, at work.

Visit www.skillsforcare.org.uk/coreskills to find resources to support core skills in social care.

This is a sponsored article and is brought to you by Skills For Care.