Guidance for workers

The All Wales Induction Framework for Health and Social Care (AWIF) has seven sections, each section has a progress log and a workbook.

Your manager can find help and advice on how to support you to complete the AWIF on guidance for employers and managers.

The sections are:

• Section 1 and 2: Principles and values of health and social care
• Section 3 and 4: Health and well-being
• Section 5: Professional practice as a health and social care worker
• Section 6: Safeguarding individuals
• Section 7: Health and safety in health and social care.

Each section:

• identifies the knowledge, understanding and skills new workers need to gain in their induction period
• identifies the principles and values of health and social care that workers need to show includes the core knowledge learning outcomes that all workers
• identifies the knowledge and skills that apply across all health and social care settings, as well as those that are specific to their role and workplace.

Social care workers and healthcare support workers who are new to the sector, organisation or job role should complete the AWIF.

Here are some examples of worker/learner journeys have been developed to give an idea of the potential routes.

Workers new to the sector

Workers who are new to the sector should complete five of the seven sections (1, 3, 5, 6 and 7 for those working with adults; and 2, 4, 5, 6 and 7 for those working with children and young people).

Those working with both adults and children and young people are advised to complete all seven sections. All new workers should complete all of the core knowledge learning outcomes, but the practice elements are specific to the worker’s role.

For example, those who do not support people with foot care would need to complete the core knowledge outcomes but will not be expected to show their practice in this area.

Workers new to an organisation

Health and social care workers who are new to an organisation but have evidence they have previously achieved a relevant qualification and/or completed an induction framework, will not need to complete the whole induction framework.

Accredited evidence (e.g. from a qualification) can act as a ‘passport’ and give you confidence that the core learning areas have already been covered.

However, to make sure that the outcomes can be met the manager and the worker may need to have further discussions. The worker should also be observed how they apply their learning in practice as part of the induction process

New workers should also go through the organisation’s policies and procedures for your workplace or their role.

Workers new to a role

Managers should find out what learning new workers with previous experience in a different sector or workers taking on a new role have already completed as part of their qualification or previous induction framework.

The learning should then be mapped against the requirements of their new role to identify any gaps. An action plan on how and when any additional leaning needs to be developed.

For example, from adult social care to children and young people social care, or health care to social care.

For example, an adult social care worker moving to work with children and young people would need to complete sections 2 and 4 to top up their learning.

Induction is an important part of professional development and will help you settle and be effective in your role allowing you to develop and strengthen the knowledge, skills and understanding you need whilst providing a basis for future learning and development giving evidence of the progress made to date.

An induction helps you to:

• understand your role – what is required of you and what support you can expect
• get to know your new working environment and the important information you need to do your job well
• get to know your colleagues and develop good working relationships
• understand how you can best support those you will be working with.

The AWIF will help you by:

• being clear what is expected of you
• giving an opportunity to develop the knowledge, understanding and skills essential for health and social care practice. In particular, the principles and values that underpin all care and support
• producing evidence that can be used towards the achievement of the qualifications needed for practice.

Induction is an important part of your professional development and will help you settle into your role and be effective in your work. Completing the AWIF will help you gain, develop and strengthen the knowledge, skills and understanding essential for your role and for health and social care practice in general. It provides a basis for your future learning and development and shows the progress you have made to date.

Your manager will outline the arrangements for your induction. This may involve being assigned a mentor or ‘buddy’ who will be a more experienced colleague to support your learning (e.g. your direct line manager or team leader). You will also be supported by regular supervision which will allow you to reflect on what you have learned and receive feedback on your progress.

For information we have guidance for managers and employers.

It is important that you take an active part in your induction in order to make the most of this learning experience.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions as this helps to check out your understanding and will help you learn. Do remember there is no such thing as a ‘stupid’ question! As this is a generic induction for care and support workers across health and social care, your manager will need to include learning specific to your organisation and work setting.

The AWIF includes pathways for adults and children and young people, so you will need to complete the sections relevant to your role. If you change jobs, it will be important to review the sections you have completed to ensure they meet the needs of your new role.

Workbooks

Workbooks have been developed for each section to help put the induction into practice and to support new workers generate some of the evidence needed to achieve the core knowledge learning outcomes in the progress logs and to prepare for the formal assessment of the Core Qualification.

Support from regions

The regions in Wales are available to help you support workers to complete their AWIF.

Learning resources

There is also a set of comprehensive learning resources that have been developed by WJEC and City and Guilds that you may find useful as an additional resource.

Glossary of terms

There is a glossary of terms that covers the AWIF and provides some definitions of the terms used. Anything marked in bold in the progress logs will be included.

Resource and legislation links

See resources and legislation for helpful links and references. These will be updated periodically. Some of the publications we ask the new worker to look at may have been published either by us or NHS Wales. Unless stated otherwise, these will apply equally to both health and social care workers.

If you have a question or if you can't find what you are looking for get in touch with us.