Care Skillsbase

Glossary

Care workplace terms

• BIS: Department for Business, Innovation and Skills. The central government department responsible for higher education, further education and skills in England.
• CIS: Common Induction Standards in social care. These standards were produced by Skills for Care with wide consultation.
• CQC: Care Quality Commission. The body responsible for inspecting the quality of services provided in the adult care sector.  
• CSSIW: Care and Social Services Inspectorate Wales. Regulates care and social services in Wales.
• DfE: Department for Education The central government department in England responsible for education and training initiatives for children and young people.
• DH: Department of Health The government department for England with central responsibility for health and social care. 
• DHSSPS: Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety The government department in Northern Ireland with overall responsibility for health and social care services.
• HCPC: Health Care Professionals Council. This organisation regulates health and social work professionals in England.
• Local authorities (LAs) or local councils. Structures that organise local government in England.
• NHS: National Health Service. Publicly funded health service in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
• NISCC: Northern Ireland Social Care Council. The regulatory body that administers registration of social workers and social care workers. It is concerned with standards of conduct, training and practice.  Follow the link to see the code of practice for social care workers and employers
• NMS: National Minimum Standards. NMS of service provision in social care for England have been replaced due to the changes brought about by the Health and Social Care Act 2008.  Guidance produced by the Care Quality Commission is based on regulations relating to this Act.
• Northern Ireland Induction Standards. These standards are produced by the Northern Ireland Social Care Council (NISCC). 
• NOS: National Occupational Standards. Specify the standards of performance that individuals are expected to achieve in their work, and the knowledge and skills they need to perform effectively.
• PCA: Provider Compliance Assessment. The PCA focuses on outcomes for the key essential standards related to the quality and safety of care. The Care Quality Commission (CQC), which regulates services in health and social care in England, may ask your organisation (as the provider of a regulated service) to fill in all or part of this assessment when reviewing compliance. Guidance about compliance as it relates to your service can be seen on the CQC website.
• RQIA: Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority. The independent body responsible for monitoring and inspecting the availability and quality of health and social care services in Northern Ireland.
• SCIE: Social Care Institute for Excellence. SCIE develops and promotes knowledge about good practice in the social care sector. SCIE is the principal funder of the Care Skillsbase project.
• SISCo: Supporting Induction in Social Care. The project that developed the Care Skillsbase resource.
• Skills for Care. Supports employers in adult social care to develop the skills of their workforce.

Skills terms

• Basic skills: in social care are defined as communication and number skills; see About communication & number skills for more information.
• EFL: English as a foreign language. Typically, EFL is for people learning English who do not live permanently in the UK.
• ESL: English as a second language.
• ESOL: English for speakers of other languages. Typically, ESOL is for people learning English who live permanently in the UK.
• Functional skills: refer to ‘English, maths and IT skills to ensure young people and adults can engage purposefully as citizens and in employment’ (DfES, 2006); see About communication & number skills for more about communication and number skills.
• Key skills: Developed in 1993 for vocational programmes, the six Key Skills were (1) communication, (2) application of number, (3) information and communication technology, (4) working with others, (5) improving own learning and performance, and (6) problem solving. In 2012 Functional Skills replaced Key Skills in apprenticeships. See About communication & number skills for more about communication and number skills.
• NVQ: National Vocational Qualifications. Work-related, competence-based qualifications based on National Occupational Standards. They have been replaced by diplomas, awards and certificates mapped on to the Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF). Go to A framework for quality: standards and professional development (link) to find out more, or see the Skills for Care’s website.
• PDP: personal development plan. A structured and supported process to help individuals to develop the skills and knowledge to function effectively and progress at work.
• QCF: Qualifications and Credit Framework. The QCF is a flexible way of recognising and rewarding skills and qualifications. See the Skills for Care website for more information.
• Skills Check. Short activities to help you learn about caring. They can help you decide whether a member of staff has the communication and number skills needed to work safely and meet quality standards. Each Skills Check or activity focuses on specific communication or number skills.
• Skills for Life. The government strategy for improving adult communication and number skills in England. For more about Skills for Life in adult social care see the Developing Skills section of the Skills for Care website. See About communication & number skills for more about communication and number skills.