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Healthcare and Social Care - Care Home Advocate

Amber

Care home advocates make sure the views and wishes of residents in care homes are heard.

• Make sure residents are treated fairly and with dignity
• Help residents explore their options and make informed choices
• Make sure residents have access to their care plan
• Help residents speak for themselves or speak on their behalf
• Go with residents to meetings to give support or attend meetings on their behalf
• Work with care home staff and other agencies

You could work at an adult care home or in an office.

Your working environment may be emotionally demanding.

Care Home Advocates tend to work between 37 to 39 hours a week. You could work between 8am and 6pm.

Starting: £19,000

Experienced: £30,000

A college course can give you some of the skills and knowledge you need to be a care home advocate.

You could do a level 2 certificate or level 3 diploma in health and social care. You'll usually need 2 or more GCSEs at grades 9 to 3 (A* to D), or equivalent, for a level 2 course.

You could start by doing an adult care worker intermediate apprenticeship.

After this, you could get some experience in advocacy to get a job as a care home advocate. 

You'll usually need some GCSEs, usually including English and maths, or equivalent, for an intermediate apprenticeship. If you have an EHCP you may be able to apply under the DfE exemption which allows the apprentice to use Entry level 3 English and Maths qualifications. The apprentice would have to successfully achieve all other aspects of the apprenticeship requirements, become occupationally competent and achieve Entry Level 3 in English and Maths before the end of their apprenticeship.

Volunteering as an advocate would be a good way to get experience. As a volunteer you'll get training and support to develop your skills.

You could apply directly to become a care home advocate. Employers are likely to value your skills more than your qualifications.

You may find it helps to get a job if you:

• have experience working in social work, counselling or at a care home
• know about the needs of older people
• show a positive attitude to ageing
• have used an advocacy or care service personally