Mandatory Training for Care Workers

Health and social care workers require adequate induction training and annual refresher training to ensure that they remain up to date with recommended practice and regulatory requirements. Training is defined as mandatory if it meets one or more of the following criteria:

• It is a statutory requirement (such as the Health and Safety at Work Act).
  
• All staff across the organisation require the training.
• It is a CQC or local authority requirement.

The most common mandatory training subjects for care homes include:

• Autism (New since 1 July 2022)
• Learning Disabilities (New since 1 July 2022)
• Duty of Candour (New since 30 June 2022)
• Health and Safety
• Fire Safety
• Equality, Diversity and Human Rights
• Infection, Prevention and Control
• Manual Handling
• Food Hygiene/Food Safety Awareness
• Safeguarding Adults
• Safeguarding Children

The full list of mandatory training requirements for an organisation depends on the services it provides, as well as the organisation’s type and size. All care organisations have a legal responsibility to provide staff with Health & Safety awareness training, including Fire Safety.

Moving and Handling training is also mandatory and if staff are involved with preparing food or assisting at meal times then Food Safety and Hygiene training will also be mandatory. Additional mandatory training requirements might include Data Protection/Information Governance, Complaints Handling etc…

Skills For Care has recently updated the Statutory and mandatory training guide for adult social care employers.

What’s Changed in the New Guidance?

• More employer culpability

• Some mandatory training has been removed from the list

• Refresher periods shifted to three years from annually on most courses for people who have or are working towards a recognised qualification.

• Clarity around Mandatory and Statutory Training

• New guidance based on looking at what’s necessary for what role – What does a social care career pathway look like? Connection to the New Care Workforce Pathway.

What are the Drivers of the New Guidance?

• Simplified Requirements

• Focus on Relevance and Avoiding Duplication

• Competency over Compliance

• Saving resources for Care Providers

• Flexibility & Responsibility for Employers

Click here to access Skills for Care’s Updated Mandatory and Statutory Training Guide.

Read an article on how Skills for Care is simplifying Statutory and Mandatory Training. 

CareTutor offers Mandatory Training courses for both the Home Care and Care Home sectors.

Importantly, there is a difference between those courses considered mandatory for an organisation and the courses it must provide to be able to issue a Care Certificate to an individual. To receive a Care Certificate, staff members need to train in and achieve minimum pass marks in ALL 15 Care Certificate standards. However, only those topics in the 15 Standards relating to the service provision provided by the organisation are MANDATORY for the organisation itself.