Core Values and Skills

When working in a role that involves supporting vulnerable individuals, it is vital that you have certain values and skills that ensure you can affectively and appropriately provide the support and care necessary.
It is also the responsibility of those who work with vulnerable individuals to deliver a Personalised Approach to Care, which ensures people have choice and control over the way their care is planned and delivered. It is based on ‘what matters’ to them and their individual strengths and needs.

Core values: 

• Dignity and Respect:
  -    You spend time listening to people to get to know them and their needs.
  -     You respect people’s right to make their own choices and decisions about how they want to be supported.
  -     You help people to retain their dignity and respect their privacy when delivering personal care to them. 
  -    You communicate with people in a clear, open and straight forward way using appropriate language. 
  -    You are sensitive to the needs and concerns of families and carers.
• Learning and Reflection:
  - You reflect on the work that you do and the impact that you have on the people you support. 
  - You accept and reflect on any feedback you are given about your work and learn from the feedback. 
  - You are honest and transparent and are not afraid to admit when you have made a mistake. 
  - You know your own limits and can identify when you need help and support and are feeling stressed by your work.
• Working Together:
  - You offer people a range of realistic options and choices about the support available to them. 
  - You are committed to working as part of a team and support others in the team. 
  - You understand and respect that other people have different priorities and needs.
  - You involve other professionals and external agencies when you need additional advice or support.

Core Skills:

• English skills
  -    The ability to read, write, speak and listen. All of which can be used to write a care plan and read and follow a risk assessment. 
• Number skills
  -    The ability to do calculations, record numbers, understand measurements and use timetables and plan work. These skills can be used to record fluid intake, count medication, measure and record weight and calculate staff wages. 
• Digital skills
  -    The ability to find and access digital information, use digital technology with people and complete eLearning. These skills can be used to update digital handover notes, send emails, use remote appointment systems and use assistive technologies. 
• Employability skills
  -    The ability to problem solve, work in a team, plan own learning and development and manage own health and wellbeing. These skills can be used to prioritise workloads, manage work/ home life balance, respond well to challenging behaviour and adapt to changing demands at work.