Common induction standards

Following consultation with the sector, Skills for Care has refreshed the Common Induction Standards to ensure they are fit for purpose and reflect current policy and practice. The standards are for people entering social care, and those changing roles or employers within social care.

The refreshed Common Induction Standards replace the Common Induction Standards 2005.

The effective implementation of the Common Induction Standards is a significant step towards the delivery of high quality care and support. The Care Quality Commission's Essential Standards of Quality and Safety highlight the importance and value of strong and comprehensive induction and they will need to be assured that all new staff have undergone a thorough induction process.

They are designed to be met within a 12 week period to enable care workers to demonstrate providing high quality care and support. It provides recognition for their work, and prepares them for entry onto future training and qualifications.

the standards

The standards now map across to the mandatory units of the new Health and Social Care Diploma to ensure there is consistency of approach for the workforce. There are now eight standards, however they will not take any longer to complete and the core elements are still retained.

Standard 1 Role of the health and social care worker

Standard 2 Personal development

Standard 3 Communicate effectively

Standard 4 Equality and Inclusion

Standard 5 Principles for implementing duty of care

Standard 6 Principles of safeguarding in health and social care

Standard 7 Person centred support

Standard 8 Health and safety in an adult social care setting

Each standard contains a number of areas of knowledge that care workers need to know about before they can work unsupervised. Managers have a duty to ensure new staff know enough to meet the required outcomes in each knowledge area.

If carried out in depth, they can provide excellent evidence of underpinning knowledge towards the diploma at level 2 or level 3.

Visit the national site to download the standards with a glossary which outlines how they link to GSCC codes of practice, a progress log, a guide for those responsible for workers in an induction period, a guide for new workers and a certificate for managers to sign to confirm that standards have been met.

Skills for Care is currently producing publications to support the use of the Common Induction Standards that will be available in August 2010.