Caring for someone is a job that comes with no formal training. But having the correct training, for example in manual handling, first aid and financial matters, can make the task of looking after someone more manageable. On this page we list current training opportunities appropriate for carers.
There will be other training opportunities, many free, available online or provided by local Councils and other organisations. Doing a search in your local area will often prove useful in finding training and other sessions and workshops. Your GP surgery or local noticeboard may also advertise training.
Training for carers looking after someone with dementia
Alzheimer’s Support Wiltshire offers a regular introductory, six-week course which is held online or in-person (https://www.alzheimerswiltshire.org.uk/online-training-course-for-family-carers)
The sessions are led by experts in their field, however the delivery is informal. Topics include:
- What is Dementia
- Managing Problems at Home
- Legal and Financial Aspects of Caring
- Taking Care of Yourself
- Safer Moving and Assisting
- Care at Home and Evaluating Care Homes
Free training
Free courses will often be made available through Wiltshire Council – some will only be available for those meeting certain criteria. It’s worth checking their website for current opportunities.
You can view Wiltshire Council’s 2022-2023 Family and Community Learning Course Prospectus here; https://carersupportwiltshire.co.uk/app/uploads/2022/09/FaCL_Course_Prospectus_2022-2023_v1.pdf. The prospectus includes courses on employment skills, wellbeing, family skills and balancing budgets.
View our What’s On section (https://carersupportwiltshire.co.uk/whats-on/?event-cat=534&location=all) to see a list of current training opportunities offered by ourselves or in conjunction with Wiltshire Council.
Learn My Way offers free courses for you to learn digital skills to stay safe and connected, you can view these courses here; https://www.learnmyway.com/.
Wiltshire Council are offering care certificate training for anyone considering a career in social care. This training is an independent learning platform with a variety of standards to complete in your own time and is designed for anyone working or looking to work in social care, giving the basics for this role. Once completed you will receive a certificate which can be used when applying for any social care job.
These are the core certificate modules:
- Understand your role
- Your personal development
- Duty of care
- Equality and diversity
- Working in a person-centred way
- Communication
- Privacy and dignity
- Fluids and nutrition
- Awareness of mental health, dementia and learning disability
- Safeguarding adults
- Safeguarding children
- Basic life support
- Health and safety
- Handling information
- Infection and prevention control
- Oral health
Contact Carer Support Wiltshire on 0800 181 4118 for further information and to book. Open to 16yrs+. Applications will close in October 2023 and re-open at the start of 2024.
Online learning
Learning online can often be a good fit with caring. It allows you to study at your own pace, in your own home and you can choose a course either for professional development or to learn a new skill or pursue an existing one. Online courses are often affordable too, although you might not be working towards a recognised qualification.
Udemy
Udemy offers over 180,000 video courses covering all sorts of topics. Prices start from £13.99 per course, you can find these here; www.udemy.com/.
FutureLearn
FutureLearn is jointly owned by The Open University and offers online courses and degrees from top universities from around the world, if you would like to access these click the following link; https://www.futurelearn.com/.
Quite a lot of the short courses are free, or upgrading for £16.67 a month gives you a greater choice and more freedom on when you complete a course. There are also professional courses available for £36 a month, which come with a free 7 day trial.
The Open University also offers a lot of free content and short courses on it’s OpenLearn website (https://www.open.edu/openlearn/). It is currently running a Caring for Adults free course which is an introductory course (taking approximately 15 hours to complete) for anyone in a caring role, building on what you already know to give you a better understanding on your role as a carer and how to look after your own wellbeing.
