Unit 1: Induction and Introduction

6. Criteria for good social care practice

Now that you have examined the context you work in and how it supports the active engagement of the people in your care with simple language learning activities, you will start to develop criteria for what you consider ‘good practice in social care’. You will also reflect on the skills you already have for this and those you will need/want to develop to enhance the quality of care in your context.

Language learning with senior learners is considered a so-called non-medical intervention. It focuses on enhancing wellbeing and brain health through providing opportunities for engagement with others, for discovering new ideas, building confidence through trying out speaking a new language, using the language to tap into memories and linking the language learning with a wide range of hands-on activities. Such an approach might be very different from the focus in the care you are normally involved in during your day-to-day practice, or from what you have learned to be important criteria for good care.

In this activity you will begin to produce a list of criteria that describe good practice in social care. Complete steps 1 and 2:

1. Write a list of at least 5 criteria that are important for good practice in social care in your opinion. Ideally, do not just list each criterion but add a brief explanation of why this is important.

2. Bring your list of criteria to the Unit 2 tutorial where you will share and discuss your ideas of good practice in social care with your fellow students.