The path to_accreditation_final_report_may_20102

Caring with Confidence – The path to accreditation

Final report

May 2010

Caring with Confidence – Mapping & Research Project (North West)

Contents

1. Introduction and background p3

1.1 Aims of this study
1.2 Previous research
1.3 This report

2. Methodology p5

2.1 Desk research
2.2 Key stakeholder consultation
2.3 Carer consultation
2.4 Questionnaire
2.5 Focus groups
2.6 Biographical interviews

3. Caring with Confidence p6
3.1 Background to Caring with Confidence
3.2 Caring with Confidence learning and training programme
3.3 Caring with Confidence target groups
3.4 Caring with Confidence delivery to date
3.5 Learning to date

4. The policy and research context p9
4.1 Policy developments
4.2 Developments in learning and skills
4.3 Carers and employment

5. Carers needs p14
5.1 Valuing participation and accreditation
5.2 Carers preferred types of recognition
5.3 Summary

6. Learning and accreditation best practice p17
6.1 Learning and training provider’s use of accreditation
6.2 Best practice examples of accreditation
6.2.1 St John’s Ambulance
6.2.2 Lothian ‘Expert Carer’ Training pilot
6.2.3 Tameside carers course
6.2.4 Looking After Me
6.2.5 Caring for carers
6.2.6 Learning for Living

7. Path to accreditation p21

7.1 The challenges to be addressed
7.2 Options for Caring with Confidence
7.3 The recommended path to accreditation

2
Equal Access Consultancy


1. Introduction and background

Caring with Confidence commissioned Equal Access Consultancy in October 2009 to undertake this
research, mapping out a path to accreditation. The Department of Health (DH) as part of its contract
with Caring with Confidence have requested that the organisation ‘evaluate the potential for
accreditation of learning gained through the Caring with Confidence sessions’. It is accepted that
carers should be supported and recognised for their skills and experience and that training and
learning programmes should meet the needs of carers, provide some form of recognition or
accreditation and demonstrate that carer participation is valued.

1.1 Aims of this study

The overall aims of this study, as outlined in the project brief are to:

o understand carers better in the context of learning, through investigating carer views and
examining carers who may currently be in work or education as a result of attending an
accredited session or course, examining the motivations that carers may have to get involved
with accredited learning;
o explore learning and accreditation options, understanding the current provision of accredited
learning for carers, detailing the routes that others have taken and the results;
o investigate suitable accrediting bodies or organisations, identifying a shortlist of organisations
felt to be most appropriate and instigating dialogue to identify suitability, procedures and costs.

1.2 Previous research

This report takes into account previous research commissioned by Caring with Confidence. In April
1
2009, a short piece of research was completed by Equal Access Consulting , scoping the potential
for accreditation of the learning and training provided by Caring with Confidence. This report also
2
examines research carried out by Waves , supporting the development of Caring with Confidence,
along with other relevant research and developments in this field, and our experiences of the needs
of carers.
3
Previous research commissioned to support the development of Caring with Confidence presented
an inconclusive picture in terms of accreditation and proposed that the Caring with Confidence
should not strive to be formally accredited as the programme is not appropriate for the formal
accreditation route and that it could not show overwhelming evidence of the need for it from a carers
perspective.

While the research showed that learning provision when positioned as ‘training’ could put off many
carers and that only 10% of those questioned were interested in the concept being presented when
described as training, 19% of respondents did feel that ‘learning’ provision should ‘definitely’ be
accredited and a further 25% thought it ‘probably should’ be accredited, which represents a
significant minority (44%).

While the Waves research does not present a strong case for accreditation, it does warrant further
detailed investigation on the basis that the analysis of the previous research was based on the
4
responses to a single survey question, which if phrased in a different way may have resulted in a
differing response. It must be noted that the primary purpose of this initial research was on the
development of the Caring with Confidence programme and not on the accreditation potential and
therefore only included the one question on accreditation. This survey data has not been analysed
through the lens of Caring with Confidence target groups, and to understand carers better it is
important to examine if accreditation may be more appropriate for specific target groups.

1
The potential for accreditation, Equal Access Consultancy, April 2009.
2
Preliminary research amongst carers to inform and shape a new expert carers-type programme, Waves, February –
April 2008
3
Ibid
4
Q9b and Finally, do you think that training about caring for people like yourself should be formally accredited, such as
counting towards a formal qualification?
3


The Potential for Accreditation demonstrated the pros and cons of accreditation, and while it is
generally accepted that learning should be valued, and learning providers should provide an option
of accreditation, it is poorly understood what the carer community actually wants. It is also poorly
understood what Caring with Confidence target groups specifically are interested in, little is known
about the opinions of the carer community about ‘training’, ‘learning’ and the widespread desire for
formal ‘accreditation’ , and there has been a lack of consideration of future career paths for carers.
Many carers are in work, and have many different interests in terms of progression, education and
career movements.

The Potential for Accreditation recommended that Caring with Confidence should play a role in
developing the evidence base for accreditation through its evaluation forms and feedback sessions
and should undertake further work on the accreditation route on an ongoing basis, considering any
implementation of formal accreditation from 2010. The programme has specific targets to meet and
the accreditation route could either make these much easier to reach if it is popular with carers or it
could jeopardise the programme if it is “off putting” for carers.

1.3 This report

This report builds on the previous research, developing a detailed understanding of the needs of the
carer community in the North West. It builds on previous examples of best practice and provides a
detailed path to accreditation of Caring with Confidence learning and training. This research has
5 6
included desk research, key stakeholder consultation and carer consultation (utilising survey , focus
groups and biographical interviews).

The remainder of this paper is structured as follows:

Section 2: Caring with Confidence - the current position
Section 3: The policy and research context
Section 4: Carer need
Section 5: Learning and accreditation best practice
Section 6: The path to accreditation
Section 7: Considerations and recommendations

5
See appendix for a list of consultees
6
See appendix for a copy of the carer survey
4


2. Methodology

In undertaking this study the following methodology was adopted.

2.1 Desk research

At the outset of the project a brief desk review exercise was undertaken, updating the policy review
conducted in Potential for Accreditation, looking at developments in the national agendas around
learning and training opportunities, with a particular (although not exclusive) focus on those aimed at
unpaid carers. A best practice review revisited the examples provided in the Potential for
Accreditation, updating them with progress made to date and also new and emerging best practice
examples were identified.

2.2 Key stakeholder consultation

o Carer organisations delivering accredited training - key individuals engaged in the
development of accredited learning programmes for carers were interviewed, highlighting the
learning gained through the process. We explored the evidence for their decision to take the
accredited route, the challenges they faced and the barriers they overcame.

o Accrediting bodies or organisations - Through interviews we investigated suitable accrediting
bodies and organisations, instigating a dialogue to identify suitability, procedure and costs for
Caring with Confidence.

2.3 Carer consultation

Conducted in synergy with the Mapping and Research project, this allowed significant efficiencies to
be made. This element of the research investigated carer views via a variety of methods and also
examining carers who may currently be in work or education as a result of attending an accredited
session or course.

2.4 Survey

We worked closely with Caring with Confidence to develop a survey to be sent to a database of
3,000 carers, from which 573 responses were received. This survey has evidenced carer need in the
North West, investigating carer views on accreditation, building on the work undertaken in the Waves
research, presenting a wider range of questioning to elicit a more comprehensive response on the
value of accreditation.

2.5 Focus groups

A series of five focus groups were undertaken with 47 attendees in synergy with the Caring with
Confidence Mapping and Research project, with carers across the North West who have not taken
part in accredited learning. Additional focus groups were held nationally to explore the views of those
carers who have undertaken accredited training as identified in the best practice review. These focus
groups explored in qualitative depth, carers understanding of accreditation, their views on its value,
and the barriers and challenges it may or may not present for the delivery of learning and training
opportunities for unpaid carers.

2.6 Biographical interviews

Where we came across examples of individuals who have a particular experience related to learning
and accreditation, we undertook further consultation with them (4) to examine their life histories,
detailing how they came to the accredited learning sessions and how partaking in accredited
learning has affected their life.

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3. Caring with Confidence

3.1 Background to Caring with Confidence

Caring with Confidence (formerly known as the Expert Carers' Programme) started on 1 January
2008 and is part of the New Deal for Carers and the renewed National Carers Strategy. The
Department of Health awarded a contract to a consortium comprising of The Princess Royal Trust for
Carers, Carers UK, Crossroads Care, Partners in Policymaking and the Expert Patients Programme
Community Interest Company (EPP CIC), to lead the delivery and on-going development of Caring
with Confidence. The Department of Health allocated £4.7 million a year to Caring with Confidence
for three years.

3.2 The Caring with Confidence programme

Caring with Confidence is a free, innovative programme offering training and support to carers,
empowering and enabling them. It informs them of their rights; the services available to them;
develops their advocacy skills and their ability to network with other carers to support their ongoing
needs. The first programme took place in August 2008 (pilot) and the project was expected to reach
full capacity by June 2009.

The programme’s main aim is to:

‘Help carers make a positive difference to their life and that of the person they
care for’.

The programme consists of an introductory session “Finding Your Way” and the following six generic
modules:

• Caring and Coping; • Caring Day-to-Day;
• Caring and Communicating; • Caring and Life;
• Caring and Me; • Caring and Resources.

The programme is available through face to face group sessions led by trained facilitators who are
recruited by provider organisations, often from the carer community. These facilitators must achieve
their “Passport to Practice” (an internal accreditation process) from Caring with Confidence. The
process to become a fully recognised facilitator is as follows:

o Applicant submits an application form to their Provider organisation

o Applicant is interviewed by the Provider Organisation

o If successful, they attend a three day residential Facilitator Development Programme

o Upon successfully completing the Facilitator Development Programme, the Facilitator begins
delivery. In order to obtain their Passport to Practice, they must deliver a minimum of six
sessions, be observed twice by their allocated coach and undertake two telephone coaching
sessions

The “Passport to Practice” is awarded providing facilitators have successfully completed each of the
above steps. Carers can mix and match the methods they use to develop their knowledge, or
participate in learning and support. Carer organisations and carers have raised some concerns that
the lay facilitators do not have a professional background and that they are not capable of answering
a range of questions that carers may have during sessions.

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3.3 Caring with Confidence target groups

Caring with Confidence is aimed at adult carers, with particular emphasis on target groups specified
by the Department of Health. The core target groups are carers who are:

• in receipt of Carers Allowance (or care for 35 hours per week or more) – 1/3
• of black and minority ethnic (BME) heritage, lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender (LGBT) -1/3

And, carers (1/3) of:

• disabled children; • people with dementia;
• adults with complex needs; • people with long-term conditions;
• people of black and minority • people nearing the end of life;
ethnic heritage; • people who are lesbian, gay,
• people living with mental ill- bisexual or transgender.
health;

The generic programme is tailored and/or supplemented to meet the needs of carers from the target
groups.

3.4 Caring with Confidence delivery to date

Caring with Confidence initially awarded contracts to 32 organisations, to deliver face-to-face group
sessions to carers in England. This followed a thorough procurement process in which 381
organisations submitted an expression of interest to become a provider. Of these, 128 organisations
went on to complete a prequalification questionnaire and from those submitted, a total of 76
organisations were formally invited to tender for a contract to deliver the programme, resulting in the
final selection of32 organisations.

The overall target set for the whole project is to reach 27,000 carers across England over the 3 year
period. To date the programme is not on target to achieve this output level. Positive feedback
received from the end users indicates that the sessions have been received with significantly high
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proportions of carers rating the sessions as very good .

Caring with Confidence Providers have faced challenges in reaching the target number of carers,
with difficulties in particular being experienced in reaching the Caring with Confidence target groups,
e.g. LGBT and BME groups which are still relatively little understood. Many of these carers groups
remain ‘hidden’ from support services, and little best practice exists for reaching them.

In response to these challenges, Caring with Confidence has complimented its programme with a
second tier delivery framework, which involves working through and engaging with grass roots
community organisations which are better placed on the ground to reach carers in the specific target
groups. This new model complements and supplements the existing structure, and early signs are
that ‘hidden’ carers in the Caring with Confidence target groups are more likely to engage through
grass roots organisations with which they identify at the very local level.

3.5 Learning to date

The programme has taken time to establish itself and begin to deliver against its ambitious targets. It
is however a developmental programme, operating on a national scale, it has faced a number of
challenges with its Provider base and the quality and pace of delivery. It is clear, like any national,
life limited (three year) programme, a significant planning and infrastructure stage is required before
any delivery phase can commence. Evidence from this programme shows that the first half of the
project (18 months) has been concentrated on building that framework and there is evidence that
delivery is now beginning to flow from the work done to establish the programme.

7
14,967 feedback forms received of which 9,106 excellent (60.8%), 5,282 good(35.2%) 500 satisfactory (3.3%) poor
(0.06%). 13,825 would recommend a friend (92.3%).
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o A key strength of the programme has been developing connections among carers, which has
contributed to the formation of new support groups. The Caring with Confidence National Team
is currently looking at different ways to sustain these support groups after the programme, as it
is recognised as a significant achievement that needs to be built upon;

o The modular format facilitates carers’ participation and promotes their self determination. Whilst
this has enabled many carers to participate at their own pace and convenience, it has also
impacted on the levels of absence, which have been higher than expected;

o In terms of the outcomes of the Caring with Confidence programme, there is no evaluation data
which picks up the longer term outcomes of participation. However while a national evaluation
carried out by Leeds University is expected to report on this, it seems it would have been more
appropriate to have an action research approach to the evaluation, in order to feed the findings
to the National Team for ongoing support;

o As a result of delivery issues to date, some of the wider aspects of the programme have been
under-developed, for example work on benchmarking and accreditation, and little progress has
been made at a strategic level with local authorities and Strategic Health Authorities to explore
sustainable models for long term delivery of learning and training for carers.

The Department of Health awarded the contract to a consortium comprising of The Princess Royal
Trust for Carers, Carers UK, Crossroads Care, Partners in Policymaking and EPP CIC. These expert
carer organisations should have been able to provide greater support with reaching carers and
particularly hidden carers, and more generally with the strategic development of the programme. The
relationship with the board has improved significantly in the last 12 months, with greater
engagement.

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4. The policy and research context

4.1 Policy developments

The health and social care field has developed significantly since the publication of the health white
paper in 2006. This section highlights the policy developments since 2006 which are relevant to this
research, highlighting where the policy addresses the issue of accreditation and recognition of the
role of carers.

‘Our Health, Our Care, Our Say’

The Department of Health’s 2006 White Paper ‘Our Health, Our Care, Our Say’, made a commitment
to launch a New Deal for Carers, recognising the needs of the six million carers in the country. The
New Deal for Carers, as set out in the White Paper, was made up of four constituent parts, one of
which was the establishment of Caring with Confidence, a training programme for carers,
empowering and enabling them in their caring role. The White Paper stated that Caring with
Confidence will ‘inform carers of their rights, the services available to them and provide information
and training that will benefit the whole family. It will also develop their advocacy skills and their ability
to network with other carers to support their needs’.

Carers at the heart of 21st century families and communities
‑

This revised Carers Strategy, published in June 2008, with a vision ‘that by 2018, carers will be
recognised and valued as being fundamental to strong families and stable communities’. The carers
strategy outlined a number of important issues for the training and support of carers, identifying the
need for more personalised, targeted information which will reduce the difficulties carers face.

The strategy identified that there are over 1.5 million carers in England at any one time of ‘prime’
working age (defined as between 25 and 59 years) and while the majority of these people will
already have acquired a significant level of skills, 2.2 million people start and stop caring each year
and many of these people need support to re-enter the labour market. With extended periods out of
work or underemployed, many people will be left behind in developing the new skills demanded in a
dynamic labour market and one recovering from recession. Skills expectations among employers are
rising and all young people will need higher levels of educational achievement and a broader range
of personal skills to succeed in life.

The strategy made a commitment to allow carers every opportunity to ensure that their skills are
such that they can combine work and caring, by encouraging more flexible opportunities for life-long
learning for example, through more flexible hours and modular courses. This reflects a move
towards a more demand-led funding system for further education colleges which should be more
responsive to the needs of the individual learner. The new national skills accounts (a personalised
service that helps individuals take control their learning and working life), enable carers to update
their skills, increasing their opportunity to return to work and help to break the isolation some carers
face.

Standing Commission on Carers

The Standing Commission on Carers was announced in September 2007 with a long-term remit,
including a key role in the implementation of strategy as well as a responsibility to advise the
Government on matters it feels relevant to carers in the longer term.

The Commission is designed to ensure that the voice of carers is kept ‘at the heart of government’
by being an influential and powerful advocate for carers, both within government and with external
stakeholders working with carers across the country to ensure that their voice is heard at a local and
national level.

The Standing Commission on Carers published its first annual report in October 2009, where it
stated that there should be development of further capacity regarding training courses at a local level
so that carers can participate effectively in a wider range of activities including inspection teams,

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Local Involvement networks (LINks), local strategic partnerships and the development and review of
local area agreements.

Shaping the future of care together

Published in July 2009, this Green Paper set out the Government’s proposals for ways to reform the
care and support system for adults in England. It is acknowledged that the current system can place
too much responsibility for care on informal carers and suggests that people should be able to
choose how much of their care and support is provided by a carer and carers should be able to
choose how much care and support they wish to provide. The Green Paper talks of the need to try to
ensure that their caring responsibilities are not so great that they harm the wellbeing of the carer.

The system proposed in the Green Paper would help carers who want to be able to care for their
family and friends, by making the process far easier and making sure that care and support is
focused on their needs. The Green Paper has framed the ongoing debate on how to create a new
care and support system with the needs of carers at its heart.

4.2 Developments in learning and skills

Developments in the qualifications framework

Since 2006 there has been ongoing reform to the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) with the
aim of developing a simple and effective structure which allows for the accumulation and transfer of
credit which represents achievement, over time.

The Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF) is the new system of recognising and comparing
different skills and qualifications in the UK education sector. The new system means that no learning
is lost, credit for an achievement can be banked and used later when training is resumed and is
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recorded on the 'Learner Achievement Record'.

Figure 2 - The QCF Framework

Every unit and qualification in the framework has a credit value (one credit represents 10 hours,
showing how much time it takes to complete) and a level between Entry level and level 8 (showing
how difficult it is). There are three sizes of qualifications in the QCF:

8
The Qualification and Curriculum Authority (QCA) and the Learning & Skills Council (LSC) have jointly embarked on a
Foundation Learning Tier (FLT) programme of work, which aims to provide an effective entry level and level 1 learning
system for both 14-19 and adult learners. The FLT will help more people make better choices in life. The outcomes of the
work will include a personalised curriculum and learning programmes supported by units and qualifications from the
QCF. Progression pathways towards level 2 will be developed to help learners achieve more, providing them with the
skills needed in today's society. This will help them move towards employment, supported employment, further education
or independent living. Wider scale phased implementation will occur in 2009/10.

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• Awards (1 to 12 credits);
• Certificates (13 to 36 credits);
• Diplomas (37 credits or more).

‘The Learning Revolution’

In March 2009, the Government published its White Paper ‘The Learning Revolution’, which aims to
‘bring to life a new 21st century vision to help adults learn for pleasure and personal and community
development’. The White Paper outlines what the whole of Government can do to support learning,
including funding innovative new ideas and projects, helping to broker access to learning, especially
for disadvantaged groups and older people and building a culture of learning across society.

This newly published White Paper promotes informal learning and where the primary purpose is not
to gain qualifications but that people participate in learning (which can take many forms) for
engagement and by their desire for personal fulfilment or intellectual creative or physical fulfilment.
Such activity is seen to contribute to the health and wellbeing of communities. For the low skilled and
the under confident, informal learning can be an important stepping stone to further learning and a
more skilled future and it can help develop work related skills. The White Paper outlines a number of
ways in which this initiative/policy drive can be promoted e.g. by establishing an informal adult
learning pledge which is a first step to fostering change and encouraging learning.

Sector Skills Councils

Sector Skills Councils (SSCs) are state-sponsored, employer-led organisations that cover specific
economic sectors and have four key goals: to reduce skills gaps and shortages; to improve
productivity; to boost the skills of their sector workforces; to improve learning supply. SSCs achieve
these aims by contributing to the development of National Occupational Standards, the design and
approval of Apprenticeship frameworks, brokering Sector Skills Agreements and creating Sector
Qualification Strategies. There are two Sector Skills Councils covering the health and social care
fields, the National Skills Academy for Social Care and the Skills for Health body.

The National Skills Academy for Social Care was established in March 2009, as an independent
organisation to develop the skills of all adult social care staff including leaders, managers, care
workers and trainers in the private, voluntary or statutory sectors. Through a range of programmes,
they provide skills and development information and support, easily accessible to social care
employers.

Skills for Health is the Sector Skills Council (SSC) for the UK health sector with the purpose of
helping the whole sector develop solutions that deliver a skilled and flexible UK workforce in order to
improve health and healthcare. Skills for Health’s specific aims are to develop and manage national
workforce competences, profile the UK workforce, improve workforce skills and influence education
and training supply work.

Summary

Adult education is in a process of transition at present, all qualifications are now required to go
through the Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF) where a central data bank is held and a
sifting process is undertaken to establish whether a similar qualification already exists.

Funding for learning and training, including accredited learning, is in short supply at present. The
Skills Funding Agency (formerly the Learning and Skills Council (LSC)), which has been a significant
funding pot, will not support learning that does not fit into the QCF. Learning providers such as
colleges can run courses that are not funded by LSC, but they need to show a sustainable funding
option a significant difficulty at present with funding cuts in the sector already evident.

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4.3 Carers and employment
9
Action for carers and employment

This Carers UK project, funded through European funding, has gathered significant evidence and
influenced the agenda on, and perceptions of, carers and their employment needs, experiences,
barriers and how they should be overcome. It was designed to provide support to carers of working
age and develop appropriate services. Through its partnership approach, it showed how at a local
level there is great value in working with other relevant agencies, and at a national level it
significantly influenced the shift in policy direction. City & Guilds, a partner in the project designed a
pre vocational training programme ‘Learning for Living’ to specifically address the training /learning
of lay carers. This programme is described in some detail in section 4 and can be seen as a fairly
innovative step forward for the lay carer.

New Deal for Communities employment task group report

The New Deal for Communities Employment task group report was published in June 2008,
supporting a correlation between caring and worklessness and reinforcing the importance of
initiatives that are developed to address employment barriers and provide greater support for carers.
It estimates that across Great Britain as many as 1.5 million carers have left or turned down a job
because of their caring responsibilities and this will worsen as the demand for caring continues to
rise.

Statistics show that the UK has a significant pool of carers (six million according to the last census,
equal to 1 in 8 adults), a pool which is expected to grow by 60% in the next 30 years. Figures show
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that 66% of carers are of working age highlighting the importance different interventions can play in
supporting carers in work (e.g. introduction of flexible working) and helping carers to move into work
by gaining/sustaining skills and learning, as well as accessing support to enable them to have a
better quality of life and gain help to move into work if needed.

In the context of the policy and skills developments, it is evident that there is substantial move
towards addressing the profile and needs of the health and social care sector and overwhelming
development of support for learning in the care sector both accredited and non-accredited (informal
learning).
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Employment support for carers

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) commissioned a qualitative research study in April
2008, to examine and understand the employment support needed for carers in order for them to
take up and remain in work. The 2004 Carers (Equal Opportunities) Act built on earlier legislation by
aiming to give carers more choice and opportunity to lead a fulfilling life. In particular, it places a duty
on local authorities to consider whether or not a carer wishes to take part in paid work, education,
training or leisure activities when they are carrying out a carer’s assessment. The Work and Families
Act 2006 specifically introduced the right of working carers to request flexible hours from their
employer; this came into effect in April 2007.

Historically, Jobcentre Plus has not had specific expertise on carers. For example, for Jobcentre
Plus, a part-time job under 16 hours a week or voluntary activity does not count as ’a job outcome’
and hence, does not meet the targets that Personal Advisers are working towards - a significant
barrier in providing employment support to carers, especially for those carers who are trying to keep
a toehold in the labour market whilst caring, in readiness for a fuller return to work in the future. The
role of the new Care Partnership Manager, appointed in each district, is to work with personal
advisers to help improve their understanding of the needs of, and opportunities available to people
with caring responsibilities. This will include promoting part-time paid employment as a realistic job
goal. The Government is seeking to ensure that all carers who want to work will be able to and is
committing an additional £38 million of funding to provide:

9
Action for Carers and Employment: Impact of the ACE partnership 2002-7 Sue Yeandle, University of Leeds Madeleine
Starr, Carers UK
10
See http://www.crossroads.org.uk/index.php?pgid=207
11
http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd5/rports2009-2010/rrep597.pdf
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o a Care Partnership Manager in every Jobcentre Plus district;
o training improvements for Jobcentre Plus advisers;
o encouraging more flexible learning opportunities to be made available.

The role of the Carer Partnership Workers is unclear to many in the carer community, with a range of
carers concerned that Job Centre Plus do not have the expertise to engage carers and understand
their needs.

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5. Carers needs
5.1 Valuing participation and accreditation

Carers were asked about their previous experiences of learning and training in supporting them in
their unpaid roles as carers. The majority of respondents had undertaken learning and training with
no formal accreditation or recognition (46%), while 38% have undertaken learning which has been
recognised with a certificate of participation recognised by an institution. Only 16% of carers had
taken part in any training or learning which had been externally recognised by an accrediting body.

Figure 3 - Recognition of accreditation in past learning and training

16%

Not formally
recognised
46%
School/institution
certificate
Externally accredited
certificate

38%

When asked about the value of accreditation, carers were split, with one third considering it very
important that any learning and training is accredited (32.1%), one third thinking that accreditation is
of little importance (32.9%) and one third who think it is not at all important (34.4%).

“Why do I need an NVQ in care when I already have a PhD?” – Carer

Figure 4 - Importance of accreditation

50

45

40

35

30
%

25

20

15

10

5

0
Very A little Not at all

Figure 5 shows that younger respondents consider that any training and learning, in relation to their
caring role, is recognised through certification and/or accreditation. For those under the age of 35,
the vast majority (78% - 86%) consider that accreditation is very important. However, those aged
from 50 and over are less concerned about accreditation, with only the minority showing any strong
interest in formal recognition of learning and training.

“For younger people formal qualifications are very important, but as I am retired the
knowledge may be important but not the bit of paper” – Carer

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Figure 5 - Importance of accreditation by age

100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Under 18 - 25 26 – 34 35 – 49 50 - 64 65 - 74 75 - 84 85 +
18 years years years years years years years

Not at all A little Very

Carers in older age brackets are those most likely to be in a caring role, however they are therefore
less likely to value accreditation as a form of expressing or evidencing their skills to others, such as
future employers.

“Caring comes in life without certification” – Carer

5.2 Carers preferred types of recognition

Exploring in more detail how carers would like to have their participation recognised, 40% (113) of
respondents demonstrated a preference for their participation in learning and training to be
recognised by a certificate of attendance provided by the learning provider. A lower percentage,
30.8% (87) would prefer a certificate endorsed by a professional external body.

Significantly lower percentages showed a preference for external accreditation, with 21%
demonstrating a preference for accreditation by an external body, and 18% demonstrating a
preference for formal accreditation, however these responses combined represent 39% of
respondents who would prefer to receive some form of external accreditation.

Figure 6 - Preferred form of recognition

Formally assessed accreditation

C ertificate of attendance provided by
the learning provider

C ertificate endorsed by a professional
external body

Accreditation by external body

0 10 20 30 40 50
%

Just under half (49%) of all respondents agreed that recognition of participation, either internally or
externally recognised is important for formally valuing the caring role carried out. 46% (131) of
respondents feel that recognition provides carers with more confidence (a need identified by carers)
in their caring skills and 25% felt that recognition can support carers with future employment
opportunities.

“It lifts my self esteem & confidence very much” - Carer

15


“I attend because I get a great deal of satisfaction from the courses, recognition is not
important to me” - Carer

Figure 7 - Reasoning for preferred form of recognition

60

50

40
%

30

20

10

0
It provides It enables the It provides more It formally
further learning of new confidence in values the caring
employment skills caring skills role carried out
opportunities

5.3 Summary

Carers are split on their views of accreditation, with only one third considering it very important, with
higher percentages of younger carers valuing accreditation over those in older age groups. However,
carers of all ages demonstrate a preference for their participation in learning and training to be
recognised by a certificate of attendance provided by the learning provider. Some form of recognition
is important for valuing the caring role carried out, providing carers with more confidence (a need
identified by carers) in their caring skills.

“The certificate is important, it’s important for being valued and recognised” – Older carer

16


6. Learning and accreditation best practice

6.1 Learning and training provider’s use of accreditation

The mapping of learning and training providers in the North West demonstrated that internal
recognition was more frequently used than external, with 31% of those surveyed providing some
form of internal recognition, against 12% providing some form of external accreditation.

Figure 8 – North West learning and training provider’s use of accreditation

35

30

25

20
%

15

10

5

0
Internal recognition External certification

Further exploring external accreditation with those responding, organisations (24) were asked to
detail the accrediting bodies being used. The most frequently used accrediting body among North
West providers was the Open College Network (42%), followed by City and Guilds (37%). Other
accrediting bodies include the Royal College of Nursing (11%), National Extension College (5%) and
St John Ambulance (5%).

Figure 9 - Accrediting bodies

5%
11%

City and Guild
5% 37%
Open College Network

National Extension College

Royal College of Nursing

St Johns Ambulance

42%

6.2 Best practice examples of accreditation
12
Previous research by Equal Access Consulting highlighted a range of best practice examples.
Those examples of greatest relevance to Caring with Confidence have been explored in more detail
in this research.

12
The Potential for Accreditation, April 2009, Equal Access Consulting
17


6.2.1 St John Ambulance in association with Somerset County Council

A carer support programme run by St John Ambulance in association with Somerset County Council
has received accreditation from the Royal College of Nursing. They run a carer support and learning
programme (similar to Caring with Confidence, but at a local level across five counties) to help
improve the welfare of carers and those that they care for. The programme started in Dorset in 2003
and was initiated by Linda Thompson. She and her team had identified a gap in the market, for
supporting 'informal’ or unpaid carers. A sample of 50 carers were selected and face to face
interviews were carried out with them in order to understand the issues and concerns relating to their
role. They highlighted isolation, stress and back problems (due to incorrect lifting).

Each course comprises of four mornings of three hour sessions (including lunch), and is run over
four weeks. Weekly topics include: Introduction to care and basic first aid; Benefits advice and
managing confidence (with Citizen Advice Bureaux); Safer moving and handling and preventing falls;
Stress management and relaxation skills.

Approximately 700 carers have been on the training over the past four and a half years. A targeted
course has been run with parent carers and over 100 have been through the course. The
programme is taught entirely by healthcare professionals (Nurses, band 5). As evidence gathered
through carer consultation identified carers' medical issues as an important concern, it was decided
that nurses were better equipped to respond to carers needs. Each course is attended by around 12
carers and each year a reunion is organised to maintain the relationship formed among carers.

An evaluation of the course shows that this is really benefiting carers and County Councils are more
interested in the programme now that it has a recognised accreditation attached (Somerset County
Council have committed to funding the course until 2011). The accreditation has contributed
significantly to increase the programme's credibility, which results in the increased capacity to lever
funding from other sources, which in turn contributes to the development of other modules or pilots
for courses. Moreover, accreditation contributed to formalise carers participation and therefore the
relationship between carers and training providers. Indeed the number of carers interested in
courses has increased yearly and generally through word of mouth.

“The Royal College of Nursing accreditation has ‘given us the clout’ for applying for further
funding.” - St Johns Ambulance

6.2.2 Lothian ‘Expert Carer’ Training Pilot

The Princess Royal Trust for Carers, in carrying out the recommendations made by the Care 21
report, The Future of Unpaid Care in Scotland, which stated that carers should receive training;
especially those carers who have extensive caring responsibilities, developed an expert carer
programme. Funding was received from the Scottish Government, the Souter Charitable Trust and
the PF Charitable Trust.

Each Carers’ Centre across Lothian developed courses to meet the needs of carers in their
particular geographical area and to meet the priorities identified by the local carer training
partnership. All courses were facilitated by staff from Carers’ Centres. The role of the facilitator was
to ensure the smooth running of the course, time manage the session, answer questions and ensure
equal opportunities for group participation. Each session was led by an expert speaker in the field
who were mainly health care, allied health care or social care professionals while some speakers
came from statutory and voluntary sector organisations. The cost per carer for each course varied
between £79 and £152 with an average cost of £108.

Courses were condition focused and included; caring for someone who has had a stroke; caring for
someone with mental health problems; caring for a child with additional support needs; caring for
someone with a lung condition; caring for the older person; caring for someone with a long term
condition; caring for someone with dementia; managing/looking at the emotional impact of caring;
moving and handling and looking after yourself. The length of the courses varied from one day to
courses comprising of six to eight weekly sessions of two to three hours.

18


An evaluation of the programme demonstrated that participants were very positive about the courses
finding them useful, informative and delivered in a way that met their caring needs. The atmosphere
of the courses facilitated a supportive learning environment and participants found both giving and
receiving mutual aid was important. Presenters were seen as experts and having positive interaction
with the professional experts was highly valued.

6.2.3 Tameside Carers Course

Tameside Council run a carers course with the Tameside College which takes place one day a week
for sixteen weeks. Established 11 years ago, the first course focused on caring for children and was
a 20 week accredited course. It was delivered in communities at community organisations with
crèche facilities and interpreters. The current course has two main aims; to give carers knowledge
and understanding to enhance their skills and to give carers support and strengthen the existing
support framework. Some of the topics covered on the course are; personal care, first aid, safety,
moving and handling, services and support available, plus information about local and national
issues affecting carers. All students completing the course receive a certificate from the National
Open College.

Although some written work is required to build up a portfolio, the teaching style is informal and the
group atmosphere is relaxed and welcoming. The course provides a mutually supportive group and
former students have moved on to other training and learning opportunities after gaining confidence
on it.

The current course, accredited at NVQ 1, is also offered as a BME only course. The mainstream
course is accredited but the ‘BME only’ course is not accredited because of issues around English
for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL). A Healthy Living Centre provides the course specifically
for the Bangaldeshi community in Hyde, while in Ashton the course attracts mainly Pakistani
communities. The college however will only provide interpreters if there are enough numbers.

6.2.4 Looking After Me

The Looking After Me course run by the Expert Patients Programme Community Interest Company
(a consortium member of the Caring with Confidence parent body) is a free course run over eight
weeks with 2.5 hour weekly sessions. Looking After Me is a course for adults who care for someone
living with a long-term health condition or disability. As its name implies, the course is about
supporting carers to look after their own health needs. It aims to help carers take more control of
their situation and make a difference to their daily lives. The course looks at: relaxation techniques;
dealing with tiredness; exercise; healthy eating; coping with depression; communicating with family,
friends and professionals and planning for the future.

The Looking After Me courses are facilitated and delivered by one or two trained and accredited
tutors, most of whom have a long-term health condition and have completed a self-management
course as a participant then trained as a tutor. Some condition specific courses may be led by a
health professional, for example the X-PERT Programme is delivered by a specialist diabetes nurse.

6.2.5 Caring for Carers

Manchester Carers Forum ran the Caring for Carers course in 2009, which included sessions on
skills training e.g. IT skills as well as confidence building and it was a popular course. It was funded
through Manchester City Council Dependent on one-off funding, it has not been possible to run it
again. Caring for Carers was an eight week programme, half a day per week, which attracted 10-12
carers to each session. The programme was a mixed session which included key labour market
skills and caring skills, the caring element was delivered by Living Years Coaching and other local
agencies were involved in the delivery of relevant sessions.

Liverpool City Council ran Caring for Carers centrally within the council’s carer strategy with aims to
respond to the government’s National Carer Strategy. Working in partnership with carers and the
workforce development team, a course has been developed for carers that reflects on their current
skills, developing new ones and sharing experiences, all of which may help with future employability
prospects. The module based course includes the following sessions: working in partnership with
professionals; managing conflict; using medicines safely; first aid; fire safety in the house; health and
19


nutrition; safeguarding adults and children; safe moving and handling; managing stress and
reflection and recognition. The outcomes show that this has raised self esteem, confidence,
knowledge and awareness about support and employability. Liverpool City Council is looking to gain
accreditation through the OCN for the programme so that participants can gain credits towards future
learning and it would be of value to explore further their progress.

6.2.6 Learning for Living

The City & Guilds qualification, Level 2 Certificate in Personal Development and Learning for Unpaid
Carers and the accompanying online learning resource called Learning for Living, addresses many
of the issues of the Caring with Confidence course deals with in supporting unpaid carers. This is
claimed to be the first qualification of its kind, designed to help unpaid carers build confidence and
take the next steps, “Learning for Living”. There are two parts to the programme:

o the qualification – a certificate in personal development and learning for unpaid carers
recognised at level 2 of the National Qualifications Framework in England, Wales and Northern
Ireland; and;
o learning resource “Learning & Living” which is an e-learning resource with tutor support.

There are four units in the programme; moving forward; taking care; managing care; and living with
others. Each unit comprises four topics and each topic takes three hours to complete (48 hours
total). An accreditation route is available and this can help a carer move to other qualifications,
further education or employment however it does require a learner to have a specific level of English
and IT skills and this may be a barrier for some learners e.g. from BME communities.

The Learning with Living course had a good take up when it was first introduced with 20-30 centres
running the course across the UK from a mixture of providers including colleges and individual carer
organisations. Since 2009, take up of the course has dropped off, largely due to LSC funding
changes and the course is now under review by City & Guilds, with serious consideration being
given to whether the course should continue and whether it remains viable. Only a small number of
centres are currently running the course (Angus College and the Adelphi Centre in Glasgow).

20


7. Path to accreditation

There is a significant difference between providing learning and training and providing a qualification.
The accreditation process is often misunderstood or incorrectly perceived by carers and the process
requirements and their implications for developing any accreditation need to be fully understood.

7.1 The challenges to be addressed

Adult education is currently in a transition, with the effects of the implementation of the QCF still
filtering through and the LSC being abolished at the end of March 2010, to be replaced with the
Skills Funding Agency, 2010/11 will be something of a difficult year for developing new accredited
courses. The path to accreditation currently would include the following challenges:

o National framework - The QCF is the new National Framework, fully introduced last year All
awarding bodies need to work through the QCF for any learning that falls into vocational training
or learning. When submitting a new course for accreditation under the QCF, a sifting process
takes place to establish whether a similar qualification already exists, as there cannot be
significant duplication and consideration will be given at this point to the sustainability of
proposed funding for the course.

o Funding - If new public funding is needed to support the course, there is currently a nine week
back log, in addition to the process time to pass the course from Ofqual to the Skills Funding
Agency which is replacing the LSC.

o Costs - There are additional costs for accreditation which need to be weighed against the value
of accreditation. The cost of accreditation with bodies such as the National Open College
Network or City & Guilds could range from £15 to £40 per learner, excluding development costs.

o Timing - Caring with Confidence are examining this issue in detail too late into a three year
programme. To usefully explore accreditation, this work needed to be completed in a more
timely manner.

7.2 Options for Caring with Confidence
13
The potential for accreditation explored a scale on which learning and training are recognised,
ranging from informal recognition with attendance certificates to more formal accreditation which
involves the testing of knowledge. The following section explores the middle range (C-E), outlined as
14
preferred options in the 2009 report of this scale, outlining the processes and costs involved in
developing an approach suitable for Caring with Confidence.

Figure 10 - Moving from recognition to accreditation

13
Equal Access Consultancy, April 2009.
14
Ibid
21


C) Sponsored course - Royal College for Nursing (RCN)

The RCN has an accreditation unit which has various levels of accreditation. It has for the first time
accredited the St John Ambulance programme for lay carers. There are other bodies which tend to
specialise in many other programmes targeted at care workers e.g. National Extension College.

The RCN accredits a range of learning including educational events, resources and courses and it is
the first time it has accredited a lay carer course. The application process is simple and straight
forward and does not require any formal procedures. Curriculum vitae of the teaching staff
(professional) and details of the modules taught were sent to the accrediting body and a strong case
of the need for accreditation of this training programme was presented to the RCN. St John
Ambulance provided relevant course details along with an application form and fees - these are
assessed and processed. There was a £500 cost for the process to be accredited for three years
and a £3,500 annual fee (for the first three years) for the use of the logo and accreditation.

D) Informal assessment - National Open College Network (NOCN)

The NOCN has consistently celebrated the diversity of learners, learning programmes and member
organisations. The Open College Network supports learning and widens opportunity by recognising
achievement through credit-based courses and qualifications.

The NOCN tries to avoid the ‘traditional’ approach to assessment and where possible will work with
the provider to adopt a suitable approach that is non–intrusive. The approach adopted is to identify
‘evidence’ of achievement as ‘naturally’ as possible, which can be captured through observation,
without the need for any tests. In developing accreditation, NOCN assign an individual to work with
the provider (Caring with Confidence). Assessment needs to be made of the course content with a
view to identifying specific ‘units’ that can sit within the QCF.

Key steps that will need to be undertaken include:

o establishing the ‘information’ and ‘skills’ that will be delivered during the learning and training
experience;
o a detailed search will be undertaken on the national framework ‘data bank’ to search for any
other similar ‘units’ of assessment that may already exist and can be used;
o NOCN would work in partnership with Caring with Confidence to establish an appropriate
assessment pathway;
o where ‘units’ are not available in the national framework, NOCN will work with the provider to
write/create the units and map these to national occupational standards;
o a critical requirement would be to get approval or endorsement of the units from Skills for Health
and possibly the skills for care sector skills bodies;
o timescales are dependent on modules and complexity, but with the committed time from Caring
with Confidence this could be prepared within a month. Unknown factors such as approval or
endorsement from the Skills for Health and Skills for Care (different Sector Skills Councils cover
different units);
o once developed this needs to be passed to Ofqual for approval and this could take up to three
months.

The qualification would depend on the ‘units’ identified and the size of the course, but would more
than likely be at a NVQ Level 1 or 2. The NOCN do not charge a fee for the development work which
would takes place in partnership with Caring with Confidence, but would charge a learner registration
fee. The exact charge would be dependant on the ‘units’ in the qualification this would be expected
to be in the region of £15 per learner. NOCN would be happy for Caring with Confidence to act as a
central delivery centre where the role of administration and accountability would sit, while rolling out
the accredited programme through local providers.

E) Formal assessment - City & Guilds

City & Guilds provide a varied route from entry level to degree. It already has a Health and Social
Care programme and it has developed the pre vocational course specially designed for lay carers

22


‘Learning for Living’. In terms of development in accreditation and provision for this sector, this is the
best place for Caring with Confidence to undertake further investigations for its programme.

The Learning for Living course is currently under review and in view of this City and Guilds are
cautious about developing another similar course. They would however be interested in working with
organisations like Caring with Confidence to evaluate this programme with a view making it more
commercially viable and marketable.

Through City & Guilds, Caring with Confidence could apply to the QCF for an advice and guidance
qualification and this may complement the current review of the Learning for Living qualification.
However, the more appropriate route would be outside of the QCF and through the Royal Charter
which is available to this awarding body. This allows City & Guilds to offer a qualification and training
outside of the QCF, and this has been used to endorse courses for private companies such as
Marks & Spencer. City & Guilds play a more central role in this route, undertaking all the assessment
and development to ensure that the quality requirements are met and there would be a cost attached
to this option.

The sessions offered by Caring with Confidence could be divided into ‘units’ and turned into
individual awards, instead of having a requirement to complete all sessions for a single qualification,
eight single units could be developed which together would add up to a certificate/diploma. However,
there would need to be external assessment of this.

The conditions for this route are:

1. that Caring with Confidence becomes a City & Guilds centre (there will be a cost attached to
this)
2. that there would be a minimum activity level, so a minimum number of trainees per year would
be anticipated and it is suggested that City & Guilds would expect a minimum of 2,000 trainees
per year.
3. there would be fees per individual registration and City & Guilds will send out certificates
4. it has to be presented as a commercially viable model with sustainable funding in place.

Caring with Confidence would be able to set up satellites through which it delivers training, e.g. its
Providers at the local level, and this approach would reduce upfront costs. City & Guilds are currently
looking to move to a single cost for certification and registration per learner and while this will vary
and is dependent on the size of the course, for a short courses like the Learning for Living course,
this would be expected to be in the region of £30–£40 per learner.

City & Guilds would be unable to start any process of accreditation until September 2010 as they are
currently reviewing and re writing all their qualifications for the QCF. Caring with Confidence would
need to invest time into development of the ‘units’ and City & Guilds would want Caring with
Confidence to consider fitting these within the units currently in use through learning with living.

7.3 The recommended path to accreditation

From the research undertaken in support of this commission, there has not been any overwhelming
need demonstrated for accreditation. Further examination of the market place shows that accredited
training for carers is already in the market place in the form of Learning for Living, and that this
training is not currently demonstrating commercial viability and is currently under review.

“As a commissioner – is accreditation important? Not really ...not for carers“ – East of
England Strategic Health Authority

Therefore, we are not recommending that Caring with Confidence pursues a formal accreditation
route. Whichever accrediting body is selected, there will be prescriptive requirements, which
jeopardises the paramount requirement for training courses aimed at carers, which is flexibility. It
diverts attention from the original rationale of supporting carers, which is what carers want.

23


However, Caring with Confidence can do more to recognise the participation of learners and should
look to provide certification with recognition from the Department of Health. Caring with Confidence
can increase their brand awareness, raising their profile will also raise the profile of the course and
certification.

We recommend that options for further training in the field are given to participants, with a particular
focus on providing links to condition specific training and signposting people to training which may
support them in accessing future employment opportunities. This signposting and advice however
needs to take place at a local level and it is unclear the extent to which Providers or facilitators could
fulfil this role.

Case Study (case study names have been changed to protect identities)

Susan has been so encouraged by attending Caring with Confidence that she is now a
volunteer at Manchester Carers Centre and is hoping that the volunteering will lead to a job.
She is really keen to become a counsellor as she feels that she has developed her listening
skills and has experience of dealing with emotions, having been a carer for so many years, and
she would like to put this to some use where she can help others. Manchester Carers Centre
has been very supportive in helping her and signposting her to further education courses in
counselling.

She feels that her life has really improved since she engaged with Manchester Carers Centre
and the Caring with Confidence learning. She has made new friends and is far more motivated
and her training has given her a sense of achievement. She feels that she has the confidence to
meet different and new people and her lifestyle is much more positive now. She has lost almost
four stone in weight since first seeking support, she has lower blood pressure, lower blood
sugar levels and is hoping that her cholesterol level has also come down. She does not comfort
eat anymore and looks after herself much better.

We recommend that the Caring with Confidence work at a strategic level, to engage and develop
relationships that would allow those taking part in Caring with Confidence to be actively referred to
agencies such as Carers Direct, local colleges, local authority training coordinators or workforce
development officers.

24


Appendix 1 - List of Consultees

Carer consultation - Focus groups

Focus Group 1 – Asian Parent Carers (8 carers)

Focus Group 2 – Manchester Carers Centre (12 carers)

Focus Group 3 – Alzheimer’s group – Manchester (5 carers)

Focus Group 4 – BME National Panel, Birmingham (12 carers)

Focus Group 5 – St John Ambulance, Somerset (best practice example) (10 carers)

Carer consultation - Biographical interviews

Biographical interview 1 – St John Ambulance, Somerset

Biographical interview 2 – St John Ambulance, Somerset

Biographical interview 3 – Manchester Carers Centre

Biographical interview 4 – Manchester Carers Centre

Key stakeholder interviews

Key stakeholder 1 – Lina Patel, Tameside Council & Government Office North West

Key stakeholder 2 – Alison Temple, St John Ambulance, Somerset

Key stakeholder 3 – Liz Phillips, East of England Strategic Health Authority

Key stakeholder 4 – Shane Hayward Giles, Department of Health

Key stakeholder 5 – Jude Glide, Somerset

Key stakeholder 6 – Ross Young, Somerset

Key stakeholder 7 – Dave Williams, Manchester Carers Forum

Key stakeholder 8 – Edward Gee, City and Guilds

Key stakeholder 9 - Joan Norayan, City and Guilds

Key stakeholder 10 – Keith Mogford, National Open College Network

25


Appendix 2 – Carer survey

CARER SURVEY - Understanding the learning and training needs of carers

Equal Access Consultancy has been commissioned by Caring with Confidence to carry out a survey looking
into learning and training opportunities in the North West for carers. Caring with Confidence is part of the
New Deal for Carers and the renewed National Carers Strategy. If you would like further information about
Caring with Confidence please visit our website at www.caringwithconfidence.net.

Your opinion is important! We would be very grateful if you could take the time to complete this survey and
help improve the understanding of the needs of carers. It will take no more than 5 minutes and, as a thank
you, you will be automatically entered into a prize draw to win one of three £50 vouchers.

SECTION 1: ABOUT YOU
1.
Name
Address 1
Address 2
Town/city
Postcode
County
Telephone
E-mail

2. Are you...?

Female
Male

3. Is your current gender different to the gender you were assigned at birth?

Yes
No

4. Are you...?

Heterosexual Lesbian
Gay Bisexual

5. How old are you?

Under 18 50 - 64 years
18 – 25 years 65 - 74 years
26 – 34 years 75 - 84 years
35 – 49 years 85 + years

26


6. How many people do you care for?

7. What is the condition / illness of the people you care for? (Tick all that apply)

Alcohol addiction Mental health problem
Dementia Old age
Drug addiction Physical disability
Hearing impairment Physical illness
HIV / Aids Sight impairment
Learning difficulty
Other, please specify:

8. What is your relationship to the people you care for? (Tick all that apply)

Family Neighbour
Partner Other, please specify:
Friend

9. How old are the people you care for? (Tick all that apply)

Under 18 50 - 64
18 - 25 65 - 74
26 - 34 75 - 84
35 - 49 85 plus

10. How long have you been a carer?

Less than 1 year 6 - 10 years
1 - 5 years 11 + years

11. How many hours of care do you provide each week?

Up to 19 hours
20 - 49 hours
50 + hours

12. What care and support do you provide? (Tick all that apply)

Being on call Household tasks
Accompanying out (i.e shopping, Personal care (wash, dress, etc.)
appointment etc)
Emotional support Nursing/medical care
Providing help with finances Night care
Shopping, collecting prescriptions etc

27


13. Do you live in the same household as the person/people you care for?

Yes
No
14. What is your employment situation?

Employed full time Not working due to illness/disability
Employed part time Retired
Student Self employed
Voluntary work Looking for work
Not working due to caring

15. What is your ethnic group?
Tick
White:
British
Irish
Any other White background (please specify)
Mixed:
White and Asian
White and Black African
White and Black Caribbean
White and Chinese
Any other Mixed background (please specify):
Asian or Asian British:
Indian
Bangladeshi
Pakistani
Any other Asian background (please specify):
Black or Black British:
African
Caribbean
Any other Black background (please specify):
Chinese / other ethnic groups:
Chinese
Any other ethnic background (please specify)

16. What is your first language?

English Arabic
Bengali Chinese
Punjabi Somali
Guajarati French
Urdu Polish
28


17. Do you have any special requirements such as wheelchair, hearing loop, interpretation?
Tick
Yes If yes, please specify:

No

18. If yes, has this affected your ability to access any learning and training opportunities relating to
your caring role in the past?
Tick
Yes If yes, please specify:

No

SECTION 2: CARERS NEED

As part of this survey we would like to find out more about the support needs you might have in caring for
someone and whether you are interested in learning and training opportunities designed to support you in
your caring role.

19. Have you accessed learning and training opportunities in the past / are doing so currently?
Tick
Yes

No If no, go to question 22

20. Please provide details of any learning and training opportunities you have accessed relating to
your caring role.

When?
Where?
Which organisation?
What did you do?

21. How was your participation recognised?
Tick
Not formally recognised
School/institution certificate (internal recognition)
Externally accredited certificate (e.g. City and Guilds certificate / qualification)


29


22. How much of an obstacle are the following issues for you when accessing learning and training
opportunities?

A lot A little Not at all
Needing someone to look after the person /
people you care for
Transport to get to a venue
Cost
Time (length of session)

23. Would you be interested in accessing initial / further learning and training opportunities relating
to your caring role?
Tick
Yes If no, why? Then go to question 25

No

24. Would any of the following topics, in terms of learning and training opportunities be of interest
to you?


Basic caring skills
First aid
Medication
Moving and handling
Condition specific (e.g stroke, dementia)
Finances
Stress management
Confidence building
Back into work training

SECTION 3: VALUING CARER PARTICIPATION IN LEARNING AND TRAINING

30


We would like to find out more about whether you think that participation in learning and training should be
recognised through accreditation. Accreditation can mean a range of things from receiving a certificate of
attendance at a learning session to a formal recognition like an NVQ provided by an external accreditation
body like the City and Guilds.

25. How important is it to you that any learning and training you attend, relating to your caring role,
is recognised through certification and / or external accreditation? Please tick


If you ticked ’Not at all’, please specify why and go to the end of the survey:

26. How would you like your participation in learning and training, relating to your caring role,
recognised?
Please tick your most preferred option below:
Tick
Certificate of attendance provided by the learning provider

Certificate endorsed by a professional external body (e.g a recognised health related
organisation such as St John Ambulance)

Formally assessed accreditation (through exam or coursework) by an external body
which can lead to further learning / qualifications (e.g City and Guilds)

Accreditation by an external body which can lead to further learning / qualifications (not
formally assessed though an exam or coursework)


27. Why do you think it should be recognised in this way?
(Please tick the two that you feel are the most important to you)

Tick
It provides more confidence in caring skills

It formally values the caring role carried out

It enables the learning of new skills

It provides further employment opportunities


31


Thank you for taking the time to complete this survey.

The survey is being coordinated by Equal Access Consultancy, an independent research organisation
working within the guidelines of data protection and ethical code of conduct, so please be reassured that all
of your answers will remain confidential and anonymous. If you want to know anything more about Equal
Access Consultancy and this research please do not hesitate to contact Atiha Chaudry on:
atiha_equalaccess@hotmail.com

Please tick this box if you are happy for us to contact you again with regard to this research

Please tick this box if you would like to receive further information and be added to the Caring with
Confidence mailing list

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME AND COOPERATION

Please return this form in the pre-paid envelope provided

32

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