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A care assistant may also be known as a care worker or support worker. A care assistant's job is to look after people who need full-time or part-time care. This includes helping elderly people, helping people with a mental health condition, and assisting people with learning or physical disabilities. The role of a care assistant can also be different depending on where you're based. You may work in a care-home; drive to multiple homes, looking after people in the local community; or be a live-in carer, providing full-time support to someone. In all these settings, you'll build great relationships with the people you're caring for. You can become a care assistant with no previous experience or qualifications, and there are great career progression opportunities. These include becoming a manager or transferring into the NHS.
Responsibilities
Typical care assistant duties are:
Providing companionship, including social and physical activities. This can often include fun days out and events
Helping people get around, and accompanying them to doctor appointments
Monitor patients’ conditions by regularly checking their temperature, pulse, breathing, and weight
Helping patients to take medication, eat, wash, and dress
Career progression
Care work is a rewarding career and offers more than just a monthly paycheck. You will be able to make positive changes in people's lives.
Being a care home manager
Moving into the NHS to become a healthcare support worker (a pathway to nursing) or into an NHS desk-based role
Becoming an activities co-ordinator – planning social activities and events for people in care
Care work is also being integrated more closely with the NHS so career switching between social care and healthcare is common.
Key information
No qualifications or prior experience needed, including GSCEs, A-Levels, or BTECs, via the Prince's Trust entry-route
Pay ranges from minimum wage (dependent on age) up to £16 per hour
This role often includes shift work (days, nights, weekends, bank holidays)
Employers will be looking for kindness and good communication skills
You must have the right to work in the UK to get a job via The Prince's Trust
There is high availability of this role in the UK
“The best part of my job is helping, supporting the elderly and understanding their needs. I have learnt how to make an impact in their lives through the little things.”Medoune