Personal care assistant
Support your disabled employer to live an independent life.
Also known as: carer
About the job
Salary
Source: LMI for All
Weekly
£480
Average
Monthly
£2,080
Average
Yearly
£24,960
Average
4,795
people are currently employed
Low growth
No change in number of jobs in 5 years
These figures refer to this job and similar ones with comparable skills and qualifications. They only apply to Scotland. Source: Self Directed Support Scotland
What it's like
As a personal assistant you would support your disabled employer to live an independent life. Personal assistants are employed privately. People can receive funding from the local authority to employ their own support staff.
You could assist a variety of people such as:
elderly people
disabled people
people with mental health conditions
people with learning difficulties
children
You could work as part of a team of support workers or independently. You could work for more than one employer. You could be self-employed.
Your daily tasks would be determined by your employer depending on their needs. You would not need to make decisions for your employer. You would support your employer to meet their identified goals. Your employer will identify their needs and objectives with you – your role will be to support them to meet their objectives. This could involve supporting with:
preparing meals
personal hygiene needs such as taking a shower or going to the bathroom
household maintenance
managing medication
transportation
Hours
Environment
Travel
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Top skills
Skills are things you're good at. Whether you know what yours are or not, everyone has them!
It's useful to learn which ones are important in a job so you know the areas you need to brush up on. It can also help you work out if you're suited to a career.
Here are some of the skills you'll need to do this job:
- understanding
- taking responsibility
- reliable
- respecting
- empathising
- verbal communication
- listening
- building relationships
Your skills are important
Our unique skillsets are what make us stand out from the crowd. Learn about each skill in depth and discover what employers look for in your applications and interviews.
Getting in
Explore the sections shown for more information about getting into this career.
You might have qualifications which are not shown here but will allow you access to a course. You can compare your qualifications by looking at their SCQF Level. For more information about this, check out the SCQF website.
Always contact the college, university or training provider to check exactly what you'll need.
Colleges and universities will list subjects you'll need for entry to a course. Some useful subjects include:
Care
Skills for Work: Health and Social Care
Foundation Apprenticeship: Social Services and Healthcare
You can get a head start in this career by doing a Foundation Apprenticeship in S5 and S6.
You'll get an SCQF level 6 qualification which is the same level as a Higher. You'll also learn new skills and gain valuable experience in a work environment.
Discover what's on offer at your school on Apprenticeships.scot.
There are no formal qualifications for this role. Most roles will provide role specific training that meet the needs of the employers. You can find helpful courses through the Personal Assistant Network Scotland or a local independent support group.
For this role, employers value people who are empathetic and understanding. Good communication and numeracy skills can also help you to stand out to employers.
You will need to learn on the job so flexibility and the ability to adapt will be helpful.
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