What training is mandatory for care home staff?
Care homes have a responsibility to ensure their employees have the knowledge, skills and competence needed to provide safe and effective care.
Training is a fundamental part of meeting this responsibility. From safeguarding and medication administration to infection prevention and moving and assisting, staff need appropriate training for the duties they perform.
However, there is not one universal list of training courses that every care home employee must complete.
The training required will depend on the individual’s role, responsibilities, the needs of residents and the services provided by the organisation.
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) sets out the regulatory expectations for staff training under Regulation 18 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014.
This requires providers to ensure staff receive appropriate training, professional development, supervision and support to carry out their responsibilities.
For care home managers, maintaining an effective training programme is essential to supporting staff, protecting residents and demonstrating regulatory compliance.
What are the essential mandatory training courses for care home staff?
Although requirements vary between organisations and job roles, there are several key training subjects commonly included within care home mandatory training programmes.
1. Safeguarding Adults
Safeguarding training helps employees recognise, prevent and respond to abuse, neglect and other forms of harm.
Care workers need to understand the different types of abuse, including:
- Physical abuse.
- Emotional or psychological abuse.
- Financial or material abuse.
- Sexual abuse.
- Neglect and acts of omission.
- Discriminatory abuse.
- Organisational abuse.
- Domestic abuse and self-neglect.
Employees should understand how to recognise potential warning signs, report concerns and follow their organisation’s safeguarding procedures.
First Response Training offers Safeguarding Adults training as part of its health and social care training provision.
2. Moving and Assisting
Moving and assisting training is particularly important for employees who support residents with mobility, transfers and repositioning.
Incorrect moving and handling techniques can cause serious injuries to both residents and employees.
Training should cover:
- Risk assessments before moving or assisting.
- Safe use of moving and handling equipment.
- Appropriate techniques for supporting residents.
- Understanding individual mobility requirements.
- Maintaining dignity and comfort during transfers.
Training should reflect the specific equipment and procedures used within the care home.
First Response Training provides Moving and Assisting training to help care workers develop safe working practices.
3. Medication Awareness and Administration
Medication training is essential for employees who are responsible for handling, administering or supporting residents with their medication.
Staff must understand the importance of safe medication practices and the procedures used by their organisation.
Training commonly covers:
- The different types of medication.
- Safe storage and handling.
- Medication administration procedures.
- Recording medication correctly.
- Understanding medication errors and reporting procedures.
- Supporting residents who manage their own medication.
- Understanding the importance of consent and capacity.
Employees should only undertake medication-related responsibilities once they have received appropriate training and demonstrated their competence.
First Response Training offers Safe Handling and Administration of Medication training for health and social care employees.
4. Infection Prevention and Control
Care homes support individuals who may be particularly vulnerable to infection.
Infection prevention and control training helps staff understand how infections spread and how to reduce the risks within care environments.
Key subjects include:
- Effective hand hygiene.
- Personal protective equipment (PPE).
- Cleaning and decontamination.
- Safe disposal of waste.
- Management of infectious illnesses.
- Understanding infection control procedures.
The UK Health Security Agency and Department of Health and Social Care provide guidance for adult social care settings.
Infection prevention and control should form part of staff induction and ongoing development, with refresher training and updates appropriate to the setting and role.
5. First Aid and Basic Life Support
Care home staff should understand how to respond when a resident becomes unwell or experiences a medical emergency.
Depending on the setting and individual responsibilities, this may include:
- Recognising medical emergencies.
- Understanding the principles of basic life support.
- Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).
- Responding to choking.
- Understanding how to use an automated external defibrillator (AED).
- Knowing when and how to seek emergency assistance.
Employers should assess the appropriate level of first aid provision for their organisation and ensure employees are trained for the responsibilities they undertake.
6. Fire Safety and Health and Safety
Fire safety and general health and safety training help employees understand how to maintain a safe environment for residents, colleagues and visitors.
Care home employees should understand:
- Fire prevention and evacuation procedures.
- Emergency exits and escape routes.
- Fire alarm procedures.
- Personal emergency evacuation plans.
- Accident and incident reporting.
- Workplace hazards and risk assessments.
- Their responsibilities during an emergency.
Training should reflect the layout of the premises and the specific needs of residents, including those who may require assistance to evacuate.
7. Dementia Awareness
Dementia awareness training helps employees understand the experiences and needs of people living with dementia.
It can help staff recognise changes in behaviour, communicate more effectively and provide person-centred support.
Training may cover:
- Different types of dementia.
- Common symptoms and their impact.
- Communication techniques.
- Supporting independence and dignity.
- Responding to distress.
- Understanding individual needs and preferences.
8. Learning Disability and Autism Training
Health and social care providers registered with the CQC must ensure staff receive training in learning disability and autism appropriate to their role.
This requirement was introduced through the Health and Care Act 2022.
The Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training on Learning Disability and Autism is the government’s preferred and recommended training package to support providers in meeting this requirement.
We explore this in more detail in our separate article: Oliver McGowan Training Explained: What Is It and Who Needs to Complete It?
First Response Training delivers the Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training at both Tier 1 and Tier 2 levels.
9. Mental Capacity Act and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards
Care home employees should understand the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and how they relate to supporting residents.
Training can help staff understand:
- The five statutory principles of the Mental Capacity Act.
- How capacity is assessed.
- Supporting individuals to make their own decisions.
- Best-interest decision-making.
- Understanding consent.
- The importance of least restrictive practice.
- Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS).
This is particularly important for staff supporting individuals who may have difficulty making certain decisions independently.
10. Food Safety, Nutrition and Hydration
Care home staff often play an important role in supporting residents with eating, drinking and maintaining their nutritional health.
Training should help employees understand:
- The importance of balanced nutrition.
- Recognising dehydration and malnutrition.
- Supporting residents with eating and drinking.
- Food hygiene and safe food handling.
- Individual dietary requirements.
- Recognising and reporting concerns.
Additional training may be required for employees supporting people with dysphagia or more complex nutritional needs.
How often should mandatory training be refreshed?
One of the most common questions from care home managers is how frequently mandatory training needs to be renewed.
There is no single statutory refresher interval that applies to every training subject across all care settings.
The appropriate frequency will depend on the subject, the employee’s role, relevant guidance, changes in legislation and the individual’s ongoing competence.
Employers should have a training matrix that identifies:
- Which training each employee requires.
- When training was completed.
- When refresher training is due.
- Any additional training needed for specific responsibilities.
- Whether practical competence has been assessed.
- Any outstanding learning and development requirements.
For example, current adult social care infection prevention and control guidance recommends induction training, annual refreshers and updates tailored to different roles.
Other subjects may have different recommended intervals or require more frequent assessment where risks or responsibilities change.
It is important that refresher training is not treated as simply renewing a certificate. Managers should also consider whether employees can consistently demonstrate the required knowledge and skills in practice.
How can care home managers keep track of staff training?
Managing staff training can become increasingly complicated as an organisation grows.
Care homes may have employees working different shifts, undertaking different responsibilities and requiring different levels of training.
A structured training matrix can help managers maintain oversight.
A good training matrix should include:
- Employee names and job roles.
- Mandatory training requirements for each role.
- Completion dates.
- Certificate and assessment records.
- Refresher dates where applicable.
- Outstanding training requirements.
- Additional specialist training.
Regular reviews can help identify gaps before they become a problem.
Managers should also review training requirements when employees change roles, residents’ needs change or new procedures are introduced.
Does CQC check staff training records?
Yes. Staff training, development and competence form part of the CQC’s assessment of whether a care provider is meeting its regulatory responsibilities.
Regulation 18 requires providers to ensure that staff receive appropriate support, training, professional development and supervision.
CQC may consider whether:
- Staff have received appropriate induction.
- Employees are trained for their responsibilities.
- Training is relevant to the needs of residents.
- Staff receive appropriate supervision.
- Competence is assessed where necessary.
- Training and development needs are reviewed.
Having a training certificate is useful evidence, but it does not automatically demonstrate that an employee is competent to perform every task associated with their role.
What about specialist training for care home staff?
Beyond core mandatory training, many care homes need additional courses to support residents with more complex or specific needs.
Depending on the service, this could include:
- Epilepsy awareness and emergency medication.
- Diabetes awareness.
- Dysphagia awareness.
- PEG feeding.
- Catheter care.
- Stoma care.
- Pressure care management.
- End of life care.
- Positive behaviour support.
- Autism and learning disability awareness.
These courses can help employees develop the skills needed to provide more specialised support.
First Response Training provides a range of specialist Health and Social Care courses covering clinical skills, mental health, medication and other areas of care practice.
How First Response Training can support your care home
First Response Training has more than 25 years of experience delivering training to health and social care organisations.
Its training provision supports employers from initial staff induction through to mandatory training and more specialist development.
Courses are available through different delivery methods, including:
- Classroom training.
- Online webinars.
- eLearning.
- Distance learning.
This allows care providers to organise training around their workforce, operational requirements and individual development needs.
Whether you are recruiting new care workers, reviewing your mandatory training programme or developing specialist skills within your team, First Response Training can help you identify suitable training solutions.
Explore the full range of Health and Social Care training courses or contact the First Response Training team to discuss your requirements.
Frequently asked questions about mandatory care home training
Is there a legal list of mandatory training courses for care home staff?
There is no single universal statutory checklist covering every care home employee. Employers must identify and provide training appropriate to the service, individual role and responsibilities, while meeting relevant legal and regulatory requirements.
Is safeguarding training mandatory for care workers?
Care providers must ensure employees understand their safeguarding responsibilities and are appropriately trained to recognise and respond to concerns. The level of training should reflect the employee’s role.
Do all care home staff need medication training?
Not every employee will administer medication. However, anyone with medication-related responsibilities must receive appropriate training and demonstrate competence before undertaking those duties.
How often should care home staff complete refresher training?
This varies according to the subject and role. Employers should follow relevant guidance, assess competence and maintain a documented refresher training programme.
Does mandatory training need to be classroom-based?
Not necessarily. Depending on the subject and learning outcomes, training may be delivered through classroom sessions, webinars, eLearning or distance learning. Practical skills and competence may still require observation or assessment.
Can First Response Training deliver courses at our care home?
First Response Training offers a range of delivery methods, including classroom training that can be arranged for organisations across the UK.
Building a confident and competent care workforce
High-quality care depends on having employees who understand their responsibilities and have the skills to meet the needs of the people they support.
A well-planned mandatory training programme helps care homes establish consistent standards, develop staff confidence and maintain a safe environment for residents.
First Response Training works with health and social care organisations to provide training that supports both regulatory responsibilities and the ongoing development of their workforce.
Explore our Health and Social Care training courses or contact us to discuss a training programme for your organisation.
