Introduction
Domestic assistants help people with their household chores.
Domestic assistants are employed by local authority social services
departments in England and Wales. By offering a domestic service to
people in need, they enable people to remain in their own homes
with as much independence as possible. Their clients are
often elderly people or those with physical and mental
disabilities, who are unable to look after themselves and who,
without such help, might have to go into hospital or residential
care.
Work Environment
Domestic assistants are given a 'round' of clients which means
they get to know individual clients very well. They visit people in
their homes and carry out any necessary domestic chores and might
go to the local shops on their behalf. They may also have
meetings and training courses with other colleagues at the council
offices.
Because of health risks, special clothing and equipment are
issued - gloves, tabards, torches, personal safety alarms and
residual circuit devices (for use with electrical
equipment).
Hours can be flexible, anything from 10 to 37 hours a week,
depending both on the needs of the service and the circumstances of
the post-holder. Generally the service is available from
8.00am to 5.00pm Monday to Friday. Some weekend work may also
be necessary.
Daily Activities
Domestic assistants help clients maintain as independent a life as
possible. Their duties include cleaning, bed changing,
washing, doing any shopping on their behalf or taking the client
shopping, and preparing meals. In the initial risk assessment
of the client and the client's home, all health and safety issues,
such as electrical and cooking equipment, will have been
checked. It is the responsibility of the domestic assistant
to report any defects or necessary repairs to the home care
manager.
Skills & Abilities
Skills needed are
- communication skills;
- to be able to understand people's needs;
- to be able to cook and clean effectively;
- to be able to work on your own initiative and as part of a
team;
- to be physically fit.
Entry Requirements
There are no specific minimum entry qualifications for the
job. Personal attributes are often considered more important
(see above). Some councils offer training leading to NVQ/SVQ
units in Care. Training is given in food hygiene, food
preparation, first aid and manual handling.
Future Prospects & Opportunities
It is possible to go from domestic assistant to home care
assistant work. This is usually dependent on interview and a
competency assessment and may lead to further training to NVQ/SVQ
level 2 in Direct Care.
Further Information & Services
Care Council for Wales www.ccwales.org.uk
Community Care www.communitycare.co.uk
Community Service Volunteers www.csv.org.uk/socialhealthcare
Department of Health www.dh.gov.uk
Health & Care Professions Council www.hpc-uk.org
Homes & Communities Agency www.homesandcommunities.co.uk
Skills for Care www.skillsforcare.org.uk
Social Care Association www.socialcareassociation.co.uk
You may find further information about this area of work through
Careers Wales www.careerwales.com/ or in
your local library, careers office or school careers library.