Quick Answer:
The Care Certificate is a set of 15 standards that sets the baseline induction for new health and social care workers in England. Employers assess new starters against each standard, using observation and evidence, and record sign-off in the staff file. It is not a formal qualification, but inspectors expect providers to evidence induction.
What Is the Care Certificate?
The Care Certificate was introduced in 2015 and is overseen by Skills for Care, Health Education England (now part of NHS England), and Skills for Health. It describes the knowledge, skills, and behaviours expected of support workers and is widely used as the induction framework for new care staff.
It applies to new workers in adult social care and health support roles in England. Providers in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland follow their own induction frameworks, so confirm the requirement for your nation.
The 15 Care Certificate Standards
- Understand your role
- Your personal development
- Duty of care
- Equality and diversity
- Work in a person-centred way
- Communication
- Privacy and dignity
- Fluids and nutrition
- Awareness of mental health, dementia, and learning disabilities
- Safeguarding adults
- Safeguarding children
- Basic life support
- Health and safety
- Handling information
- Infection prevention and control
How to Run It in Your Agency
| Step | Action |
|---|---|
| 1. Baseline | Assess prior experience and knowledge for each new starter |
| 2. Plan | Map training and shadowing to the 15 standards |
| 3. Observe | Use direct observation by a competent assessor for practical standards |
| 4. Evidence | Keep knowledge assessments, observation records, and reflective notes |
| 5. Sign off | Record completion date and assessor name for each standard |
| 6. Review | Re-assess where gaps appear after supervision or spot checks |
Skills for Care guidance suggests the certificate should be completed within a set period of starting work, commonly cited as around 12 weeks. Check the latest guidance and set your own policy timeline.
Tracking and Evidence
Inspectors reviewing a staff file look for:
- Evidence the worker started induction before working unsupervised.
- Clear sign-off per standard, with named assessors.
- Links to mandatory training (moving and handling, medication, fire safety, safeguarding).
- Records of spot checks and supervision that follow up on induction.
Pair this with the care agency compliance guide, the CQC mock inspection guide, and your HR processes for onboarding.
How AsanWork Helps
With AsanWork compliance management you can record induction progress per worker, keep training matrices in one place, and prevent rostering of staff until required modules are complete, using staff scheduling rules.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Care Certificate a qualification?
No. It is an induction standard, not a regulated qualification, but it can count toward further learning.
Who needs a Care Certificate?
New workers in health and social care support roles in England, unless they can evidence equivalent prior training and your assessment confirms competence.
How long does it take?
Commonly cited guidance is around 12 weeks, depending on role and prior experience. Set a clear internal timeline and record exceptions.
Do agency workers need it?
Agencies placing new-to-care staff need to ensure induction standards are met and evidenced, either by the agency or in agreement with the client.
[!TIP] Track every induction in one place.
See how AsanWork's care agency software manages training and compliance. Book a Live 15-Minute Demo.