{"id":8058,"date":"2026-10-19T21:19:32","date_gmt":"2026-10-19T21:19:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.visiting-angels.co.uk\/cheshire-east\/?p=8058"},"modified":"2026-10-19T21:44:18","modified_gmt":"2026-10-19T21:44:18","slug":"what-is-the-care-certificate","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.visiting-angels.co.uk\/cheshire-east\/what-is-the-care-certificate\/","title":{"rendered":"What does the Care Certificate actually involve?"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Quick summary<\/b><\/h3>

Fifteen standards, covering everything from safeguarding to moving someone safely. It is done on the job over about twelve weeks, it is paid, your employer should cover the cost, and you do not need it before you apply.<\/span><\/p>

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What it is<\/b><\/h3>

The Care Certificate is a set of nationally agreed standards setting out the knowledge, skills and behaviours expected of new health and social care workers. It was introduced in 2015 by Skills for Care, Skills for Health and Health Education England, following the Cavendish Review.<\/span><\/p>

It is not a qualification in the traditional sense, and it is not a course you pass before applying for work. It is your induction, assessed in the workplace while you are being paid.<\/span><\/p>

Skills for Care recommends completing it within twelve weeks of starting. It has no expiry date and it is portable, so if you have already done it with another employer you should not have to repeat the whole thing.<\/span><\/p>

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The fifteen standards<\/b><\/h3>

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#<\/b><\/p><\/th>

Standard<\/b><\/p><\/th>

What it covers in practice<\/b><\/p><\/th><\/tr><\/thead>

1<\/span><\/p><\/td>

Understand your role<\/span><\/p><\/td>

What the job is, and what it is not<\/span><\/p><\/td><\/tr>

2<\/span><\/p><\/td>

Your personal development<\/span><\/p><\/td>

Supervision, reflection, keeping skills current<\/span><\/p><\/td><\/tr>

3<\/span><\/p><\/td>

Duty of care<\/span><\/p><\/td>

Your responsibility to act in someone’s best interests, and what to do about concerns<\/span><\/p><\/td><\/tr>

4<\/span><\/p><\/td>

Equality and diversity<\/span><\/p><\/td>

Treating people as individuals<\/span><\/p><\/td><\/tr>

5<\/span><\/p><\/td>

Work in a person-centred way<\/span><\/p><\/td>

Building care around the person’s preferences and routine<\/span><\/p><\/td><\/tr>

6<\/span><\/p><\/td>

Communication<\/span><\/p><\/td>

Including communicating with people who have dementia, hearing loss or aphasia<\/span><\/p><\/td><\/tr>

7<\/span><\/p><\/td>

Privacy and dignity<\/span><\/p><\/td>

The practical side of personal care<\/span><\/p><\/td><\/tr>

8<\/span><\/p><\/td>

Fluids and nutrition<\/span><\/p><\/td>

Making sure people eat and drink enough, and spotting when they are not<\/span><\/p><\/td><\/tr>

9<\/span><\/p><\/td>

Mental health, dementia and learning disability<\/span><\/p><\/td>

Including capacity and consent<\/span><\/p><\/td><\/tr>

10<\/span><\/p><\/td>

Safeguarding adults<\/span><\/p><\/td>

Recognising abuse and neglect, and reporting it<\/span><\/p><\/td><\/tr>

11<\/span><\/p><\/td>

Safeguarding children<\/span><\/p><\/td>

What to do if you have concerns about a child in a household<\/span><\/p><\/td><\/tr>

12<\/span><\/p><\/td>

Basic life support<\/span><\/p><\/td>

Practical, taught face to face<\/span><\/p><\/td><\/tr>

13<\/span><\/p><\/td>

Health and safety<\/span><\/p><\/td>

Including moving and handling, which is assessed practically<\/span><\/p><\/td><\/tr>

14<\/span><\/p><\/td>

Handling information<\/span><\/p><\/td>

Records, confidentiality and data protection<\/span><\/p><\/td><\/tr>

15<\/span><\/p><\/td>

Infection prevention and control<\/span><\/p><\/td>

Hand hygiene, gloves, aprons, spillages<\/span><\/p><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>

You may see some training providers marketing sixteen standards, and a new Care Certificate Qualification was being introduced during 2026. The core fifteen remain the recognised framework, and what matters is that you can demonstrate competence across all of them.<\/span><\/p>

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How it is actually assessed<\/b><\/h3>

Two parts:<\/span><\/p>

Knowledge<\/b>, usually through a workbook or e-learning: written answers showing you understand duty of care, safeguarding, confidentiality and so on.<\/span><\/p>

Practice<\/b>, through observation. An assessor watches you doing the thing: moving someone safely, washing someone with dignity, handling a medicines record. Knowledge-based standards can be covered online. Practical competence has to be seen.<\/span><\/p>

Your assessor is someone competent to assess, typically a senior carer, field supervisor or the registered manager. It is not an exam with a pass mark, and it is not something you can complete in a weekend online, whatever the adverts suggest.<\/span><\/p>

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What twelve weeks looks like alongside the job<\/b><\/h3>

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