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{{org_field_name}}

Registration Number: {{org_field_registration_no}}

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Staff Induction Training Policy

1. Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to ensure that all new employees at {{org_field_name}} receive a structured, thorough, and effective induction programme that equips them with the skills, knowledge, and values required to provide high-quality, person-centred care.

A strong induction process ensures that:

• New staff members understand their roles and responsibilities from day one.
• Care is delivered in accordance with CQC regulations, the Health and Social Care Act 2008, and the Care Certificate standards.
• Staff feel confident, competent, and well-supported in their roles.
• The safety, dignity, and well-being of people we support are prioritised.
• Safeguarding, confidentiality, and professional standards are embedded from the outset.

This policy applies to all new employees, agency workers, and volunteers and ensures they receive mandatory training and support before starting their duties.

2. Scope

This policy covers:

• Permanent and temporary staff joining the care home.
• Agency workers and volunteers who work directly with people we support.
• Line managers and supervisors, who are responsible for implementing the induction programme.
• Training providers and external trainers delivering specialist training.

3. Legal and Regulatory Compliance

{{org_field_name}} will ensure that staff induction, training, supervision and assessment arrangements comply with all applicable legislation and regulatory requirements for CQC-registered adult social care services in England.

The principal requirements relevant to this policy include:

• Health and Social Care Act 2008 and the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014, as amended:
  • Regulation 9 – Person-centred care: staff must have the knowledge and competence necessary to provide care and treatment that is appropriate, meets people’s needs and reflects their preferences.
  • Regulation 10 – Dignity and respect: staff must understand and uphold people’s dignity, privacy, equality, independence and rights.
  • Regulation 12 – Safe care and treatment: staff must have the competence, skills and experience necessary to provide care and treatment safely and to mitigate risks to people’s health and safety.
  • Regulation 13 – Safeguarding service users from abuse and improper treatment: staff must understand their responsibilities for recognising, preventing, responding to and reporting abuse, neglect and improper treatment.
  • Regulation 18 – Staffing: staff must receive appropriate support, training, professional development, supervision and appraisal necessary to enable them to carry out their duties. The service must provide an induction programme that prepares staff for their role, assess individual training and development needs at the start of employment and at appropriate intervals, and supervise staff where appropriate until they have demonstrated the required level of competence.
  • Regulation 19 – Fit and proper persons employed: the service must operate effective recruitment procedures and obtain, verify and retain the information required by Regulation 19 and Schedule 3 before persons are employed or deployed, subject to any statutory exceptions.
• Health and Care Act 2022: all staff working for a CQC-registered provider must receive training on learning disability and autism that is appropriate to their role. This includes training on appropriate interaction with people with a learning disability and autistic people.
• Oliver McGowan Code of Practice on statutory learning disability and autism training: {{org_field_name}} will ensure that its arrangements for learning disability and autism training meet the statutory training requirement and have proper regard to the standards set out in the current Code of Practice. Training will be appropriate to the staff member’s role and responsibilities. {{org_field_name}} will retain evidence of training needs assessment, training completed and assessment or monitoring of competence.
• Care Certificate standards: where applicable to the member of staff’s role and experience, induction and competency assessment will reflect the current 16 Care Certificate standards, updated in 2025. The Care Certificate will form part of, and will not replace, the organisation’s wider role-specific induction, statutory training and competency assessment requirements.
• Equality Act 2010: induction, training, assessment and employment arrangements will be delivered fairly and without unlawful discrimination. Reasonable adjustments will be considered and provided where required.
• UK General Data Protection Regulation and Data Protection Act 2018: staff will receive appropriate information and training on confidentiality, information governance, privacy and the lawful and secure handling of personal and special category information.
• Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 and applicable Disclosure and Barring Service requirements: appropriate DBS and barred list checks will be undertaken where the role is eligible and requires such checks.

Training will also reflect any additional statutory, regulatory or professional requirements applicable to an individual’s role and the needs of people using the service.

4. Staff Induction Programme

4.1. Pre-Employment Checks and Initial Preparation

Before a person is employed or deployed to carry out duties connected with the regulated activity, {{org_field_name}} will complete and record all recruitment and pre-employment checks required by Regulation 19 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014 and Schedule 3 to those Regulations.

The checks will include, as applicable to the individual and their role:

• satisfactory proof of identity, including a recent photograph;
• confirmation of the person’s legal right to work in the United Kingdom;
• the appropriate Disclosure and Barring Service check and barred list information where the role is eligible for, and requires, such checks;
• satisfactory evidence of the person’s conduct in previous employment concerned with the provision of health or social care or work with children or vulnerable adults;
• where the person has previously worked in a position involving children or vulnerable adults, satisfactory verification, so far as reasonably practicable, of the reason why that employment ended;
• satisfactory documentary evidence, so far as reasonably practicable, of qualifications relevant to the duties the person will perform;
• confirmation of any registration with a relevant professional regulator where registration is legally required for the work to be performed or professional title to be used;
• a full employment history together with a satisfactory written explanation of any gaps in employment, subject to the statutory exception applicable to volunteers;
• appropriate information about any physical or mental health condition relevant to the person’s ability, after reasonable adjustments have been made, to perform tasks intrinsic to the role;
• assessment of the person’s qualifications, competence, skills, experience and suitability for the work to be performed; and
• any other employment, safeguarding or security checks required by law for the particular role.

Where recruitment checks are undertaken by an agency or another third party, {{org_field_name}} remains responsible for obtaining satisfactory assurance and evidence that all checks required for the person’s role have been completed and are satisfactory before the person is deployed.

The requirement for a full employment history does not apply to volunteers where the statutory exemption under Regulation 19 applies. Other required suitability and recruitment checks will continue to apply to volunteers according to their role.

No employee, agency worker, contractor or volunteer will undertake duties for which they have not been assessed as suitably qualified, skilled, competent and experienced. Where a person requires further training or assessment before being considered competent, appropriate supervision will be provided and the person will not undertake the relevant duty unsupervised until competence has been demonstrated.

Following satisfactory completion of the required pre-employment checks, each new starter will be provided with an appropriate induction programme and will be allocated suitable supervision, mentoring or support according to their role, experience and assessed needs.

4.2. First Day Induction – Welcome and Orientation

All new staff members receive an induction pack, including:

• Welcome letter from the Registered Manager.
• Job role overview and key responsibilities.
• Tour of the care home, including emergency exits, staff areas, and key facilities.
• Introduction to colleagues, key contacts, and line managers.
• Discussion of the organisation’s vision, values, and commitment to person-centred care.

Mandatory policies covered on the first day include:

• Safeguarding Adults and Children Policy.
• Health and Safety Policy.
• Dignity and Respect Policy.
• Confidentiality and Data Protection Policy.

4.3. Initial Core and Mandatory Training

During induction, each new member of staff will have their statutory, mandatory, role-specific and service-specific training requirements identified through an individual training needs assessment.

Training will be completed before the member of staff undertakes relevant duties unsupervised where the training, knowledge or competence is necessary for the safe performance of those duties.

Depending on the person’s role and responsibilities, induction training will include:

• Safeguarding adults and, where relevant to the role, safeguarding children: recognising signs of abuse, neglect and improper treatment; responding appropriately; recording concerns; escalating concerns; whistleblowing; and following local safeguarding procedures.
• Moving and handling: safe working practices and the correct use of equipment relevant to the person’s duties, with practical competency assessment where required.
• Infection prevention and control: standard infection prevention and control precautions and practices relevant to the care home environment and the person’s role.
• Fire safety and emergency procedures: the care home’s fire procedures, evacuation arrangements, emergency responsibilities and any role-specific requirements.
• Health and safety: relevant risks, risk assessments, accident and incident reporting, safe systems of work and responsibilities under the organisation’s health and safety arrangements.
• First aid and basic life support: training appropriate to the member of staff’s role, responsibilities and the needs of people using the service.
• Confidentiality, information governance, UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018: lawful, confidential and secure handling of information.
• Equality, diversity, inclusion and human rights: providing equitable care, preventing discrimination and making reasonable adjustments where required.
• Duty of candour: understanding the responsibilities of the organisation and staff to support open and transparent care following notifiable safety incidents.
• Learning disability and autism: all staff will receive training on learning disability and autism, including how to interact appropriately with people with a learning disability and autistic people, at a level appropriate to their role.

Learning disability and autism training will meet the statutory requirements introduced by the Health and Care Act 2022 and will have proper regard to the current Oliver McGowan Code of Practice on statutory learning disability and autism training.

{{org_field_name}} will assess the level of learning disability and autism knowledge and capability required for each role and will ensure that training is appropriate to those responsibilities. Evidence will be maintained of:

• assessment of the training needs of each member of staff;
• training undertaken;
• completion dates;
• any required further learning;
• assessment or observation of competence where applicable; and
• supervision necessary to ensure that competence is demonstrated and maintained.

Training will not be treated as complete solely because a member of staff has attended a course or completed an e-learning module. Where competence is necessary to perform a duty safely, the member of staff must demonstrate the required knowledge, skills and competence before undertaking that duty without the level of supervision identified as necessary by {{org_field_name}}.

4.4. The Care Certificate Standards

The Care Certificate standards will be used, where appropriate, as part of {{org_field_name}}’s induction and competency assessment arrangements for staff who are new to care and for other non-regulated care and support staff for whom the standards are applicable.

The current Care Certificate contains 16 standards:

1. Understand your role
2. Your personal development
3. Duty of care
4. Equality, diversity, inclusion and human rights
5. Work in a person-centred way
6. Communication
7. Privacy and dignity
8. Fluids and nutrition
9. Awareness of mental health and dementia
10. Adult safeguarding
11. Safeguarding children
12. Basic life support
13. Health and safety
14. Handling information
15. Infection prevention and control
16. Awareness of learning disability and autism

Staff undertaking the Care Certificate must be assessed against the applicable knowledge, skills and behavioural requirements of the standards. Assessment will include workplace assessment and direct observation where the standard requires the worker to demonstrate competence in practice.

The Care Certificate will not be treated as a substitute for the organisation’s wider induction programme, statutory training, mandatory training, service-specific training or role-specific competency assessment.

Where a new employee has previously completed the Care Certificate, {{org_field_name}} will verify the evidence provided and assess whether the employee’s existing knowledge and competence remain current and appropriate to their role. The employee will not automatically be required to repeat learning that has already been satisfactorily achieved, but additional induction, training, competency assessment or refresher learning will be provided where necessary.

For staff who are new to care and for whom completion of the Care Certificate is appropriate, {{org_field_name}} will support timely completion during induction. Around 12 weeks may be used as a normal expected timeframe for a full-time new worker, but the actual period will reflect the person’s existing experience, assessed learning needs, working hours and the time reasonably required to demonstrate all required competencies.

No staff member will undertake a duty unsupervised merely because a specified induction period has elapsed. Where competence is required for safe practice, the member of staff must first demonstrate the required level of competence.

4.5. Supervision, Mentoring, and Probation Period

New employees are assigned a mentor or buddy to guide them through their induction and provide ongoing support. Regular supervision meetings are held to review progress, answer questions, and provide feedback.

All staff undergo a 3 to 6-month probation period, during which they:

• Receive monthly supervision to discuss strengths, concerns, and development areas.
• Receive feedback from people we support, colleagues, and managers.
• Have their performance reviewed through direct observations and assessments.

At the end of the probation period, staff either pass their probation, require an extension for further development, or in rare cases, are not confirmed in post.

4.6. Ongoing Training and Development

Following induction, staff are supported with continuing professional development (CPD). This includes:

• Annual refresher training in safeguarding, health and safety, and infection control.
• Specialist training courses in dementia care, end-of-life care, and mental health support.
• Opportunities for career progression, including NVQs and leadership training.

5. Related Policies

This policy should be read alongside:

• CH07 – Person-Centred Care Policy​.
• CH08 – Dignity and Respect Policy​.
• CH13 – Safeguarding Adults from Abuse and Improper Treatment Policy​.
• CH16 – Health and Safety at Work Policy​.
• CH27 – Staff Supervision, Training, and Development Policy​.

6. Policy Review

This policy will be reviewed annually, or sooner if CQC regulations, legislation, or best practices change.

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Responsible Person: {{org_field_registered_manager_first_name}} {{org_field_registered_manager_last_name}}
Reviewed on: {{last_update_date}}
Next Review Date: {{next_review_date}}
Copyright © {{current_year}} – {{org_field_name}}. All rights reserved.