What does a Caregiver do?
A Caregiver provides daily care to individuals who are unable to care for themselves due to illness, disability or age, such as the elderly and infants. Caregivers help their clients manage their daily activities and provide companionship as much as possible. Caregivers may work in hospitals, hospices, nursing homes, charities, shelters and domestic settings. In either of these settings, they may have a direct relationship with their employer or may be employed through an agency.
Caregivers may also specialise in caring for certain groups of people, such as special needs children or terminally ill individuals.
Caregiver skills and qualifications
A successful Caregiver candidate will have various prerequisite skills and qualifications in order to perform their duties effectively, these include:
- Working knowledge of care skills, including safe lifting techniques and food safety
- Knowledge of basic first aid
- Excellent interpersonal skills
- Attention to detail and excellent organisational skills
- Patience and the ability to remain calm in high-stress situations
- Excellent verbal communication
- Transportation to doctors appointments
- Documenting and reporting any health changes in the client’s health status
- Working knowledge of word processing tools
- Physical fitness and strength
Caregiver experience requirements
Caregivers may need to pass a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, which will require that they verify their identity and status. A Caregiver will need at least one year of experience in this job. This can be acquired by caring for a friend or family member, or professionally through an apprenticeship or volunteer work.
It’s key for the prospective Caregiver to build a strong background in providing assistance with daily tasks like bathing, moving around indoors and outdoors, and paying attention to dietary requirements, among others and to have a patient personality. Specialist Caregivers will need over two year of experience in the field.
Caregiver education and training requirements
A Caregiver does not require a university degree. However, a diploma or higher education college course, such as the Northern Council for Further Education’s (NCFE) certificates, such as the Level 1 certificate in Health and Social Care and the Level 2 Diploma in Care, are necessary.
Other useful training programs and certifications for Caregivers include the Child Protection Awareness Training, Safeguarding Adults – Basic Awareness, Holding Skills for Essentials Care. The Continuing Professional Development (CPD) UK provides all of these.
Caregiver salary expectations
According to Indeed Salaries, Caregivers in the United Kingdom earn an average salary of £10.12 per hour. This figure varies based on factors, such as years of experience, geographical location, level of qualification and industry.
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