Why train and qualify experienced social care workers: proceedings of a conference on training and qualifications in social care edited by Catherine McNelis for the Centre for Health Promotion Studies, University College Galway

摘要

In May 1990, following an approach from a community group,udUniversity College Galway began investigating the possibility ofudproviding an accredited course for Social Care Workers. A survey ofudSocial Care Workers and their employers was conducted in 1992.udFollowing the positive findings of this survey and with financialudassistance from the E.U. Initiative New Opportunities for Womenud(NOW), the first cycle of the Certificate I Diploma in Social Careudcommenced in September 1993.udThe Certificate I Diploma in Social Care is provided under theudauspices of the Department of Health Promotion, and Adult andudContinuing Education. The Social Care Team responsible for theuddelivery of the course has been: Director - Orla O'Donovan andudCourse Tutors - Genevieve Becker, Terry Connors, Ann O'Kelly andudCatherine Me Nelis. In 1993 the course was offered at centres in Ennis,udGalway and Sligo, thus covering the three western health board areas.udTwo further classes were added in Galway and Roscommon inudOctober 1994, bringing the total number of students undertaking theudcourse to 136.udIt was at this stage with a proven demand for social care training thatudit was decided to host a conference which would explore preferences,udrequirements and possibilities for the training and accreditation ofudexperienced Social Care Workers. This conference supported also byudthe E.U. NOW initiative was held in the Caimes Theatre, UniversityudCollege Galway on December 3rd 1994. Contributions to theudconference came from those involved in the delivery of social careudtraining in the Netherlands as well as in Ireland, from the employersudof Social Care Workers, and from the Carers themselves. I am gratefuludto each of these contributors for their actual presentation on the day