Care assistants provide practical help and support to people with physical and learning disabilities in a range of environments, such as residential homes, day centres or schools.
Care assistants work to assess the level of care a client needs, working with other health and social care professionals to draw up a care plan for the client. The care assistant aids the client and their families with the client’s personal, social and domestic care, carrying out tasks as varied as washing, shopping or supporting them with recreational activities. Care assistants may be based in a nursing or residential home or they could work in the community, visiting clients in their own home. Care assistants work with children, the elderly, and clients with physical or learning disabilities, supporting them on a weekly or daily basis as required.
Salary
Care assistants usually start on a salary of around £11,000 but this can increase to between £14,000 and £17, 000 with experience. Senior care assistants typically earn up to £24,000 a year.
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Responsibilities
The responsibilities of a care assistant vary depending on their client but typically they include:
Building up relationships with clients in order to gain an awareness of their practical and social needs
Working with the client and other professionals to develop a care plan for the client
Aiding clients with daily personal care such as washing, dressing and feeding themselves
Carrying out everyday tasks for the client such as shopping, cooking or other domestic duties
Helping people with mobilisation
Assisting with client's general comfort
Organising and supporting clients during recreational activities
Helping clients with administrative tasks such as paying bills, managing budgets, letter or email writing
Escorting clients to a destination (e.g. school, college or the shops)
Giving palliative care to clients who are terminally ill
Working with the families of the client, answering questions and helping them adapt to their caring responsibilities
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Qualifications
There are no academic qualifications needed to be a care assistant; getting a job depends more on having the necessary skills and experience. Most care assistants receive on-the-job training from their employers which will equip them with the necessary skills and qualifications to do the job. All care assistants who work in adult social care are expected to undergo a twelve week induction programme which provides training in the basic aspects of being a care worker.
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Skills
Care assistants need to have excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to work with all kinds of people in situations which can be stressful or emotionally draining. More specifically they should have:
A friendly approach and the ability to put clients at ease, whatever their physical or social needs
The ability to be tactful and sensitive at all times
A good sense of humour
Respect for the client and their families
A high level of patience as shifts can be long and often stressful
A good knowledge of basic health care and hygiene standards
Excellent communication skills
The ability to deal with aggressive or anxious clients
A responsible and flexible attitude to clients and the job
Manual dexterity and a certain level of physical strength
Good stamina
The ability to stay calm under pressure
A commitment to the job, the client and their families
The ability to think quickly and solve problems as they arrive
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Working Conditions
Care assistants usually work shifts which mean their hours and days of work vary from week to week. Typically care assistants work between 37 and 40 hours a week which may include night shifts or weekend work. Shifts can be long and demanding so care assistants need to have good stamina and both physical and emotional endurance.
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Experience
Direct experience is not necessarily required for the job but it will be useful to have some experience of working with people, preferably in a caring capacity. This could be personal experience of working with a family member or voluntary experience, such as visiting elderly people in residential homes or helping in a school for pupils with learning disabilities.
Subject: Care Assistant 
Sat Feb 13, 2010 11:30 am