This is a free resource which aims to support required workplace training. Every year workers complete mandatory and workplace training and if they are not immediately putting this training into practice for e.g. vulnerable adult awareness, then they might not remember what to do if they encounter this type of situation. The App has been developed to help domiciliary care workers remember important areas of training by providing succinct/bite size information at the touch of a finger, as and when they need it.

The App consists of a mixture of explanations of key points of knowledge and includes exercises to help the user apply some of the principles from the information provided. There is also additional information in the form of videos and relevant website links which have been included to enhance the user’s understanding and knowledge of these key areas.

The App is divided into the following four key content areas - crucial areas of training that all domiciliary workers should understand and put into practice to ensure service users receive the high standard of care they deserve.

•Values and Behaviours - what are values; what is person centred practice and scenarios to test workers understanding; what is the difference between respect and dignity and scenarios that help clarify the 6 areas included in the NISCC Codes of Practice for Social Care.
•Safeguarding – information on types of abuse and signs of abuse; scenarios to explain/test how a worker might know that abuse is happening and why domiciliary care workers should know about safeguarding vulnerable adults and children.
•Administration of Medications – the dos and don’ts of administering medication including a link to the NISCC Guidance on Administration of Medications.
•Service user health and well-being – key information to help workers recognise and prevent pressure sores and ensure good skin care; the dos and don’ts for infection control; good hand washing practice and techniques; crucial things to remember about personal protective equipment and safe food handling and why risk assessments are important and should be adhered to.

The App has been developed and produced by the Northern Ireland Social Care Council (NISSC) in partnership with domiciliary care providers; Bryson Care and Extra Care and representatives from the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust, the Safe Guarding Board, the Regulations and Quality Improvement Authority (RQIA), the Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) and the DHSSPSNI.

The App was also developed by NISCC in partnership with the Skills for Care and Development partners (Skills for Care, Care Council for Wales and the Scottish Social Care Council) as part of the Mobile Knowledge and Learning Solutions (MKLS) two year project – a project that aims to deliver knowledge and learning into users hands, helping them refresh their learning “on the go” as and when they need it.