Guidance

'Personal assistant' role category

Updated 9 April 2025

Applies to England

Personal assistants (PAs) support individuals to live more independently, usually in their own home. This role category describes a group of similar roles. In different places, these roles may be called different things and/or have different role titles. 

The terms used in this role category description  

Self-directed support is, by its nature, led by the person who receives that support. It is aligned to their needs, preferences and aspirations - and sometimes those of their family, friends or other representatives.

We recognise that people choose the terms and language that suits them. Below are the terms we have used in this role description.

Personal assistant (PA) 

Someone who provides support who is directly employed by the person being supported or their representative.  

Self-employed personal assistant (SEPA) 

A SEPA would be contracted to provide support, either by the person they’re supporting or by that person’s representative.  

PAs can check if they meet the requirements to be classed as self-employed by using HMRC’s Check Employment Status for Tax (CEST) tool.  

Individual employer (IE) 

The person who employs a PA. This is usually the person being supported but on occasion someone else may act on their behalf to fulfil the responsibilities of an employer.  

Individual commissioner 

The person who commissions a SEPA. As above, this is usually the person being supported, but might be their representative.  

Person receiving support or person you support 

This is the person who receives the support of the PA. It can often be the IE but can also be another person where the person being supported has chosen not to be the employer. This can also be where the person being supported lacks the mental capacity to make decisions about the employment of the PA for themselves.

We use the terms ‘person you support’ and IE interchangeably where the specifics of the relationship are less relevant. 

Person-led support or personalised support 

This refers to people who have choice and control over the way their support is planned and delivered, designing and leading the support they want to receive to live an independent life. It is based on what matters to them and their individual strengths and needs.

What people do in their work

This section outlines the kind of responsibilities someone within this role category is likely to undertake as part of their role. 

This role supports people who want to be in control of the support that they receive, helping them to live their life independently in the manner they choose. This support can take place:

• in people’s homes
• in their workplaces
• when they are out and about

Being a PA is about providing support that the person who receives support has designed for themselves. They choose by whom, how, when, where and in what way that support is delivered. 

In most cases, the individual being supported will be the direct employer (often referred to as an IE), who directs and manages the support provided. Some people want to be in control of their support and make choices about how it is delivered, but they want someone else to take on the role of the employer. This is often a friend or family member. This friend or family member can often be involved in making decisions about how the support is designed and delivered as well. 

Some people will be SEPAs. They will still offer individual, tailored support but they will direct:

• when they work
• costs they charge
• what tasks they will do

Regardless of the employment model the most important thing is that the PA will provide tailored, person-led support, agreed with the person they are working with. 

Values

Values are the foundation underpinning the behaviours: 

• kind, compassionate and empathetic
• honest, trustworthy and reliable
• respect
• courageous and principled
• see the whole person
• flexible, open and learning
• proud and positive

You can read more about the values in the ‘overview’ document on the Care workforce pathway landing page - see the section on ‘Universal sector values’.

The behaviours people might be expected to show

Behaviours are the way that values are demonstrated in practice. This section outlines the behaviours that may be required to work within this role category.

These behaviours are considered a general guide of the kind of behaviours that PAs might be expected to have. IEs may state that they want their PAs to have all of these behaviours or just specific behaviours. In some instances the IE may request that their PA has a different set entirely. 

An example of a behaviour that IEs might not wish their PAs to have is core behaviour number 8 (see below). This is because they know they can advocate for their own rights and do not need this support from their PA.

All behaviours should be delivered in the context of person-centred care, agreed with the person they are working with. 

Core behaviours: 

1. Be empathetic, compassionate and supportive towards others, respecting and valuing the differences between individuals.
2. Be responsive to the direction of the person you support or your employer, respecting their family dynamics, personal culture, lifestyle and beliefs.
3. Be prepared to act in a creative and flexible way when managing new situations, being led in managing these new situations by the person you support or your employer.
4. Ensure that you provide person-led support that is aligned with the professional standards that your employer specifies.
5. Be open to digital knowledge and skills which may enhance accessibility and involvement by the person you support.
6. Be adaptable and act in an open and responsive way to feedback and direction.
7. Act positively and collaboratively, developing positive relationships with the person you support or your IE and others involved, while recognising professional boundaries.
8. Advocate for the rights of the person you support, ensuring they are provided with opportunities for a good quality of life, which may include through positive risk-taking.
9. Ensure that how you interact and communicate is person led, tailoring your communication to the individual you support.

Knowledge and skills people should have

Knowledge refers to what someone needs to understand to undertake the responsibilities of the role.

Skills are the ability to apply that knowledge in practice. 

This section outlines the knowledge and skills someone working in this role category should know and the things they should be able to do in their job. 

Minimum knowledge and skills in this role category

These are the baseline knowledge and skills that all PAs should have. See the ‘Knowledge and skills breakdown for this role category’ section below for more detail.

You should also receive an induction from your IE about the support to be provided (where applicable, this might also be provided by a senior PA). 

Progression 

You should focus on the short-term development of the knowledge and skills needed to provide person-led assistance to the person you support.

This may be:

• through a smaller qualification like an award
• by completing relevant learning programmes
• by undertaking one or more units offered within a larger qualification to support a specific area of practice that your employer wants you to develop in

Development at this stage is also likely to occur by shadowing existing PAs (where the IE has other PAs) or direct learning from your IE themselves. 

Longer term, you can continue to develop the specialist practice knowledge and skills requested by the person you support. This could be through a qualification like the Level 2 adult social care certificate qualification or Level 3 Diploma in Adult Care to support your wider development. There may also be opportunities to develop the knowledge and skills needed to be a senior PA if applicable.

You may need to continue your learning to help you adapt to the changing needs of the person you support. This might include formal qualifications or more ad hoc training by your employer. What training is completed will be discussed and agreed with your employer to ensure you have all the necessary competencies to help support your employer with their changing needs. 

You may also develop into supporting a number of different people who require support. In each instance you will need specific knowledge and skills to provide individual, person-led support to each new person. You should first discuss this with your current IE to ensure they do not lack access to support moving forwards. 

Knowledge and skills breakdown for this role category

Understanding and delivering person-led support (also referred to as personalised or individualised support)

You should:

• understand what is meant by the term ‘person-led support’
• understand the principles of the independent living movement
• understand why delivering person-led support is an important part of your role as a PA
• understand how to ensure that the support you provide is directed by the person receiving it
• be able to engage with the person you support to understand how they like to lead and make choices about their own support
• be able to provide person-led support
• understand that the person being supported may change the way they want their support to be provided, often due to their changing circumstances, wants and wishes
• understand how to support people to maintain their identity, self-esteem and spiritual and overall wellbeing

PA baseline knowledge and skills 

Understanding your role and personal development

You need to:

• understand your role as a PA
• work in ways that have been agreed with your IE and/or the person you support
• understand the working relationship between you and the person you support
• understand the separate working relationship between you and your IE (where the IE is separate from the person you support)
• work to develop your own knowledge, skills and understanding of your PA role

Demonstrating effective interpersonal skills

You need to:

• understand the importance of effective communication with your IE and/or the person you support
• understand how to meet the communication and language needs, wishes and preferences of your IE and/or the person you support
• understand how to promote effective communication with your IE and/or the person you support and, where relevant, with your fellow PAs
• understand how to work out the preferred communication method with the person you support, including using appropriate communication aids and technologies

Where the person you support is also the IE or commissioner, you need to understand how to handle your communication, recognising when you are speaking to them as the person you support and at other times in the context of them being your IE or commissioner.

Maintaining someone’s dignity while providing care and support

You need to:

• understand the principles that underpin privacy and dignity in care
• maintain the privacy and dignity of the person you support
• support the person’s right to make choices
• support the person to make choices about the support they receive
• understand how to support the person to be active in their own life (for example, through ‘active participation’)
• support the person to actively participate in the support they receive

Understanding the obligations placed on you as a PA

You need to:

• understand that you have a duty to provide a certain standard of care that meets the expectations of the person you support or your IE
• understand how to be open and learn from feedback from the person you support or your IE
• understand how to manage situations that are new or challenging to you, including how to openly discuss this with the person you support or your IE
• understand how to support people or your IE to deal with incidents, errors and ‘near misses’ and how to learn from them
• understand how to manage incidents, errors or ‘near misses’ in situations where the person is unable to manage these for themselves
• understand how to support the person to deal with confrontation and difficult situations where they have asked this of you

Managing people’s personal information safely

You need to:

• understand the need for safe managing of people’s information
• understand what information the person you support has agreed to share with others and what they wish to remain confidential
• understand that the person you support may alter their agreement on what information can be shared with others, providing or withdrawing consent as they see fit
• handle information in accordance with the requirements your IE has set

Understanding how to safeguard adults​ and children​

You need to:

• understand the core principles of safeguarding adults and how they might apply to your role as a PA
• understand that you should be led by the person you support in how they want to safeguard themselves from abuse
• understand when the person who receives your support may require safeguarding and in which circumstances they can safeguard themselves
• understand how to respond to suspected or disclosed abuse, including who this should be reported to
• understand how to protect the person who receives your support from harm and abuse
• know the principles of safeguarding children and what to do when you have concerns

Ensuring that equality, diversity and inclusion are part of how you work

You need to:

• understand the importance of equality, diversity, inclusion and human rights
• understand how to work in an inclusive way

Introduction to health, safety​ and wellbeing

You need to:

• understand your own responsibilities, and the responsibilities of others, relating to health and safety in your role
• understand and know how to promote fire safety
• be able to comply with risk assessments provided by your IE
• understand procedures for responding to accidents and sudden illness and providing basic life support to the person you support
• understand any medication and healthcare tasks that the person you support requires
• understand how to safely handle any domestic hazardous substances
• work safely and securely, putting neither yourself nor the person you support at undue risk (there will be circumstances where the person you support may wish to take risks and these instances should still be supported, following the direction and choices of the person you support)

Understanding the importance of resilience and coping skills in your role as a PA

You need to:

• know how to protect your own mental health and personal wellbeing
• understand how to manage stress

Understanding the benefits of reflective practice in your role as a PA 

You need to understand how reflecting on the support you provide can improve your own knowledge, skills and understanding.

Understanding mental capacity and how it can affect how you deliver support

You need to:

• understand the principles of mental capacity as they apply to your role as a PA
• understand the application of the principles of mental capacity and consent in your role

Understanding people’s disability and circumstances

You need to:

• understand the person’s disability and circumstances and the impact it has on them as an individual
• understand any specialist needs that arise from the person’s circumstances
• be able to support the person in the management of their situation, being led by them in the delivery of the support they choose
• understand the boundaries of your understanding, including when to seek assistance from other services or from your IE to source appropriate training or development

Specific areas of practice (can do) and suggested learning opportunities

Specific areas of practice

All people working as a PA are expected to have the knowledge and skills listed above.

Below are the knowledge and skills you may also need to develop as a PA, depending on the setting or needs of a person drawing on care and support. Your IE will define the areas that they require support with.

Within each of these areas, your IE will design the support they want to receive and decide by whom, how, when, where and in what way they want that support to be delivered.

The levels of support you may need to provide are:  

• level 0: the person you support does not require support in this area
• level 1: the person you support requires some support to manage this
• level 2: the person you support requires a high level of support to manage this
• level 3: the person you support requires a higher level of support where you might need to work with other support providers to provide this assistance

Within each of these areas, the person you support (or IE where they are different) will define what level of support they require, selecting and tailoring an option to their individual circumstances. Within each of these options levels, there are a defined set of knowledge and skills aligning with that level of support. This section provides a summary of what might be expected from the person you support or your IE in delivering that level of support.

In practice, due to the focus on person-led support within the role of a PA, your IE may select a level and only require support with specific elements of that level. They might also select an element of support but not need this daily, instead needing that support more infrequently. For example, they might only need support with getting out and about a few times a week and not need that help every day.

You should always take direction from the person you support or your IE as to the level of support they require that day and which elements they need direct support with on that occasion. 

A person may need a PA to support them with any aspect of their life. Some PAs have a very clearly defined role - for example, only supporting a person with personal care, or at work, or a clear list of ‘tasks’. Other PAs have a more fluid remit and relationship, and might get involved in all aspects of the person’s life.

For convenience, here we have grouped skills and knowledge into the following main headings that a person may need support with: 

• supporting the person with their personal care
• supporting the person to manage the maintenance of their home
• supporting the person to manage their finances
• supporting the person in their home
• supporting the person to get out and about
• supporting the person to do their shopping, to cook and to eat or drink
• supporting the person to work, learn or volunteer
• supporting the person to care for their child or children
• supporting the person to spend time with their loved ones and to meet new people
• any other support the person might require

Supporting the person with their personal care

Personal care might include support with:

• getting dressed and undressed
• washing
• going to the toilet
• managing their health
• styling hair and shaving
• arranging appointments with hairdressers, barbers and beauty therapists

The support might be:

• offering reminders and information
• making sure toiletries and equipment are available
• offering some physical assistance with tasks
• providing full physical assistance, by doing the task for them yourself

Level 1: the person you support requires some support to manage this  

You might be expected to:

• understand why good personal hygiene is important
• understand how to assist the person you support with their personal hygiene, respecting their personal preferences
• understand what elements of personal assistance the person you support does and does not need support with and what kind of support is helpful
• be able to provide personal assistance to the person you support, following their direction and respecting their dignity
• understand the person you support’s personal care routine and habits, and how you as a PA might support this
• be aware of signs of illness that you might see while washing and dressing, such as lumps, changes in bowel movements or rashes, and understand whether the person you support needs your help in spotting these

Level 2: the person you support requires a high level of support to manage this 

In addition to or instead of the above, you could be asked to:

• be able to provide physical personal assistance to the person receiving your support, respecting their choices in how this is delivered
• understand the importance of maintaining the person’s dignity as you deliver personal support for them
• understand procedures and techniques for storing and taking medication
• understand what assistance the person you support needs to take their medication safely, and be able to provide this assistance
• know about common types of medication and their use
• know how to support to maintain good oral health
• know how and when to report any oral health concerns to your IE and how to respond to people’s changing needs and circumstances in this area
• understand how to assist the person you support with their foot and nail care

Level 3: the person you support requires a higher level of support where you might need to work with other support providers to provide this assistance 

In addition to or instead of the above, you could be asked to: 

• understand signs and symptoms of changes in someone’s health
• understand how the changes in the person’s health normally present, and signs of possible worsening
• understand how to raise concerns about the worsening of the person’s health to the appropriate person or specialist services
• be able to adapt the support you provide to account for changing circumstances

Pressure care 

You should be able to:

• understand what can cause pressure ulcers
• recognise the early signs of pressure ulcers, including stages that might require urgent medical attention
• know how to support the person to seek appropriate medical attention
• understand the right way to prevent pressure ulcers
• provide (or support the person to provide for themselves) prescribed treatment using appropriate materials and equipment

Medication  

With specific additional training, you should:

• be able to administer and monitor medication safely
• understand how to safely administer specific medicines such as patches, creams, inhalers, eye drops and liquids
• understand how to safely administer other health interventions (as directed and supervised by a suitable health professional)

Supporting the person to manage the maintenance of their home 

Supporting someone with the maintenance of their home might include supporting them to keep the home clean and tidy. This could be:

• doing the washing or taking the rubbish out
• completing minor maintenance tasks around the home, such as changing a lightbulb or checking smoke alarms
• helping them arrange more complex maintenance, like contacting contractors to help to damp proof their home or fix a toilet
• help with arranging larger plans - for example, helping them to plan renovations to their home

Level 1: the person you support requires some support to manage this 

You might be expected to:

• understand what support your IE needs to manage the maintenance of their home
• be able to provide the support to your IE to manage the maintenance of their home, by supporting them with everyday maintenance (such as cleaning, changing lightbulbs, checking smoke alarms)

Level 2: the person you support requires a high level of support to manage this 

In addition to or instead of the above, you could be asked to: 

• understand what assistance is available to the person regarding housing and accommodation services
• be able to assist the person to access housing and accommodation services
• be able to support to plan larger or more complex maintenance tasks, such as contacting professionals or landlords for building or roofing, electrical work or gas safety checks

Level 3: the person you support requires a higher level of support where you might need to work with other support providers to provide this assistance 

In addition to or instead of the above, you could be asked to understand what specialist services are available to support people in managing and maintaining their home.

Supporting the person to manage their finances 

Supporting someone with their finances might include:

• supporting them to access information and guidance to help them manage their finances for themselves
• helping them access the bank, either online or in person
• helping them to safely store information on their finances
• helping them to develop their own skills and knowledge about how they want to manage their own finances, like understanding how to use online banking

In some cases, the person you support, or their advocate, might also want you to manage some small amounts of their finances, such as:

• looking after and using a bank card when out and about
• paying for goods and services with cash that your employer gives to you to spend on things they want

Level 1: the person you support requires some support to manage this 

You might be expected to: 

• understand how to support people to access reliable information about managing their finances
• understand how to support people to access and manage their finances safely both online and offline
• understand the professional boundaries of what support you should and should not provide to the person you support in managing their finances

Level 2: the person you support requires a high level of support to manage this 

In addition to or instead of the above, you could be asked to be able to assist the person in developing skills to manage their finances for themselves.

Level 3: the person you support requires a higher level of support where you might need to work with other support providers to provide this assistance  

In addition to or instead of the above, you could be asked to: 

• understand who is legally allowed to make decisions about a person’s finances if they cannot make these decisions themselves
• understand how to safely manage small amounts of the person’s money, with them, on a day-to-day basis as instructed by them or the person authorised to make their financial decisions - for example, making purchases for shopping, or leisure activities up to an agreed amount
• when supporting people by managing small amounts of the person’s money, understand how to contribute to reviews of how these finances have been used, such as keeping receipts of transactions
• understand your role in safeguarding the person you support from financial harm

Supporting the person in their home 

Supporting someone in their home might include:

• assisting them to move around the home safely
• helping and reminding them to use mobility aids like a walking frame or walking stick
• understanding what kind of safety measures they have in place to feel safe in their home, like making sure the front door is locked or that all the windows are closed at night
• providing more physical support to help them move around the home safely - this might include assisting them to move from their bed to a wheelchair, or from a wheelchair onto another seat

In some cases, the person might have very limited ability to move for themselves so you might need to help them move by using more complex equipment like hoists to help them move safely. For more complex tasks you might also need to be guided by and work with other services to help the person move safely. 

Level 1: the person you support requires some support to manage this 

You might be expected to: 

• understand what assistance the person needs to move around their home safely
• be able to assist the person with mobility aids
• understand what preferences or procedures the person has in place, so they feel safe in their home

Level 2: the person you support requires a high level of support to manage this 

In addition to or instead of the above, you could be asked to: 

• understand the importance of gaining consent before helping the person you support to move around their home
• understand how to protect the person you support’s dignity when you are assisting them to move around their home
• be able to assist the person you support to move safely
• be able to use any equipment which may be required by the person you support
• understand what support is safe for you to provide and what might require the assistance or guidance of others, including specialists like occupational therapists
• be able to minimise risk, for yourself and the person, when helping them to move around their home safely

Level 3: the person you support requires a higher level of support where you might need to work with other support providers to provide this assistance  

In addition to or instead of the above, you could be asked to:

• understand which specialist services might also be involved in assisting the person you support to move
• be able to work safely with other support providers when the person who receives your support needs assistance to move
• be able to work with, and learn from, specialist services to deliver specialist mobility support

Supporting the person to get out and about 

Supporting someone to get out and about might involve:

• helping them get ready to leave home
• giving them reminders to ensure they have everything they might need to get out and about - for example, ensuring they take their medication with them or that they have their keys to get back into their house
• supporting them to use mobility aids or specialist equipment like a wheelchair when out of the home
• helping them to interact and communicate with others

You may also need to:

• help them manage risks, being directed by them in the things they want to do, helping to safeguard them from potential harm
• provide other areas of support, such as personal care when out and about from the home

Level 1: the person you support requires some support to manage this 

You might be expected to:

• understand what assistance the person you support needs to get out and about from their home
• understand what is meant by the term ‘positive risk-taking’
• be able to assist the person you support when they want to take risks, being led by them in how they want to do this

Level 2: the person you support requires a high level of support to manage this 

In addition to or instead of the above, you could be asked to: 

• be able to advocate for the person you support in positive risk-taking
• understand how to assist the person you support’s active decision-making when out and about of the home
• understand what equipment and resources you might need to take with you when assisting the person you support when out and about from the home
• be able to safeguard the person you support from potential harm when out and about

Level 3: the person you support requires a higher level of support where you might need to work with other support providers to provide this assistance   

In addition to or instead of the above, you could be asked to: 

• be able to contribute to risk assessments and risk management
• be able to provide specialist support when outside of the home environment
• be able to use specialist equipment, like mobility aids, to assist the person you support when out and about

Supporting the person to do their shopping, to cook and to eat or drink 

Supporting someone in this area might include:

• helping them to plan their meals, understanding what items they already have and what they will need to buy
• going shopping with them
• going and doing the shopping on their behalf
• helping them cook their own meals
• cooking their meals for them

Meals may need to be prepared in a specific way, or made using specific ingredients, in line with the person’s dietary requirements.

You may also need to understand what food or drink is safe for the person to eat or drink and what they need to avoid. This might also involve:

• prompting the person to eat and drink
• giving them more physical assistance to eat and drink

You may also need to understand how to provide more specialist support. 

Level 1: the person you support requires some support to manage this 

You might be expected to: 

• understand the basic principles of food safety
• understand the importance of food safety measures when providing food and drink
• be able to maintain hygiene when handling food and drink
• be able to meet safety requirements when clearing away food and drink
• be able to store food and drink safely
• be able to assist the person you support to shop for food and drink

Level 2: the person you support requires a high level of support to manage this 

In addition to or instead of the above, you could be asked to: 

• be able to meet safety requirements when preparing and serving food and drink to the person you support
• be able to create a meal plan, being led in this by the person you support
• be able to prepare food and drink for the person you support, as directed by them or your IE
• understand what level of assistance the person you support requires to eat food and drink, recognising that this might be flexible based on their short-term needs changing

Level 3: the person you support requires a higher level of support where you might need to work with other support providers to provide this assistance 

In addition to or instead of the above, you could be asked to: 

• know the health circumstances that impacts on the person you support’s safety when they are eating and drinking
• understand factors that can impact on the person you support’s safety when they are eating or drinking
• be able to identify and work with specialist services that might be assisting the person you support to manage their nutrition
• be able to provide specialist support as directed and managed by specialist services or your IE
• be able to physically assist the person you support to eat and drink safely

Supporting the person to work, to learn and to volunteer  

This area might involve:

• supporting someone to access work, training or volunteering
• reminding or prompting someone to apply for jobs or learning opportunities
• helping someone to apply for a position
• helping someone to prepare for interviews

If the person is already in employment, volunteering or undertaking a learning opportunity, you might also be asked to support them in the day-to-day undertaking of their role or learning. This could involve:

• taking them to and from their place of work
• supporting them in communicating with their peers or management
• helping them manage any stress or mental pressure that comes with them undertaking their role or learning
• reminding them when they need to do certain tasks to keep on schedule

Level 1: the person you support requires some support to manage this 

You might be expected to: 

• understand what assistance the person you support requires to work at their job, volunteer or undertake their learning, being led by them in how they want this support to be delivered
• be able to assist in accessing their job, learning or volunteering

Level 2: the person you support requires a high level of support to manage this 

In addition to or instead of the above, you could be asked to: 

• understand how to advocate for the person you support to access a job, learning or volunteering when they have expressed a desire to do so (including that they have asked you to advocate on their behalf)
• understand what assistance the person you support needs to access a new job, learning opportunity or volunteering position
• be able to assist the person you support in preparing for a new job, learning opportunity or volunteering position, being led by them in how they want to manage this

Level 3: the person you support requires a higher level of support where you might need to work with other support providers to provide this assistance   

In addition to or instead of the above, you could be asked to: 

• be able to contribute to risk assessments and risk management
• understand what active support you need to provide to the person you support while they are engaging in a job, learning or volunteering position

Supporting the person to care for their child or children 

This support might involve:

• helping the person with the day-to-day care of their child or children
• taking their child or children to and from nursery or school
• helping to ensure that their child or children eat throughout the day
• helping to book appointments, like haircuts or trips to see the doctor

In some cases, the child might have social care needs of their own that you will need to support the person to manage. You may be asked to help safeguard the person’s children from harm. The focus of this area is to assist the person who is receiving your support in the care of their child or children.

Level 1: the person you support requires some support to manage this 

You might be expected to: 

• understand what assistance the person you support requires to help them care for their child or children
• be able to provide this support, recognising the professional boundary that you are not a childcare provider and your focus should be on assisting the person you support in their caring role

Level 2 and 3: the person you support requires a high level of support to manage this, or the person you support requires a higher level of support where you might need to work with other support providers to provide this assistance 

In addition to or instead of the above, you could be asked to: 

• understand what ‘high level’ or ‘higher level’ support that the person you support requires to help them care for their child or children
• be able to provide this support
• be able to assist the person you support to safeguard their children

Supporting the person to spend time with their loved ones and to meet new people 

This might involve:

• helping the person to communicate with others, including when that communication is non-verbal
• giving prompts to remind the person to stay in contact with their friends and family, where they have asked you to do so
• supporting them with opportunities to meet new people, like joining new social clubs or trying out new things
• helping to safeguard the person from others, like helping them be safe with their money when others ask for it

Level 1: the person you support requires some support to manage this 

You might be expected to: 

• understand what assistance the person you support needs in their relationships with others
• be able to assist the person you support in building and maintaining relationships with others

Level 2: the person you support requires a high level of support to manage this 

In addition to or instead of the above, you could be asked to: 

• understand the person you support’s specific communication needs that might impact on their ability to build and maintain relationships
• be able to promote communication between the person you support and others
• understand how to assist the person you support to take risks when building and maintaining relationships with others, being led by them in how they want to do this

Level 3: the person you support requires a higher level of support where you might need to work with other support providers to provide this assistance

In addition to or instead of the above, you could be asked to: 

• understand and interpret other people’s non-verbal communication by the person you support
• be able to assist the person you support in using specialist communication technology that they use to build and maintain relationships with others
• understand how to safeguard the person you support in the context of their relationships with others, while still allowing them to take risks

Any other support the person might require 

Working with IEs and PAs can be incredibly varied in the kind of support they might require from you as their PA.

The next section of knowledge and skills has not been defined using the option framework above. Instead it will be up to the person you support or your IE to define the kind of support they need.

In this section we would expect to see any knowledge and skills associated with specific areas of practice. Some examples of additional assistance that the person you support might require include:

• managing specialist tasks associated with managing their health situation
• supporting them to care for their pets
• using digital technology
• working in partnership with others, where the person you support has a number of PAs supporting them

Suggested learning opportunities

Qualifications:

• Care Certificate Qualification at Level 2
• Adult Care Apprenticeship standard
• Level 3 Diploma in Adult Care
• Apprenticeship Standard - Lead Adult Care Worker
• medication management
• food hygiene qualification​
• falls prevention
• infection prevention and control
• Key Skills: Level 2 English, maths, and information and communication technology (ICT)

Dementia 

Dementia Training Standards Framework

Suggested learning programmes: 

• Awareness of Dementia Level 2
• Awareness of Dementia Level 3

Autism 

Core Capabilities Framework for Supporting Autistic People

Suggested learning programmes: 

• Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training Tier 1 and Tier 2
• Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) awareness training

Learning disability 

PBS awareness training.

Mental health 

PBS awareness training.

Role category personas

Kate - personal assistant

Kate has recently been thinking about a career change. After doing some research online she finds resources about becoming a PA. She looks at the values she will need to have to be a PA, which she feels are aligned perfectly to her own. She also looks at the behaviours she might be expected to show and the kind of knowledge and skills she might need to develop.

After considering this information she decides to go ahead and look for a PA role. She sees an advert online for someone living locally who is looking for a new PA for his son. She responds to the advert and is contacted by Ahmed who is looking to employ an additional PA to support his adult son, Beni.

Kate is invited by Ahmed to his and Beni’s home to discuss the position and to see if Kate would be the right fit to join Beni’s existing PA team. After having an interview with Beni and Ahmed, Kate is offered the position, and they agree for her to start as one of Beni’s PAs in 2 weeks’ time.  

On her first day, Kate has an induction with Beni, Ahmed and Michael, one of the other PAs, about the support that Beni needs to live his life, the things that are important to him, and his hopes for the future. They show Kate the areas of support that Beni needs, and Beni talks about all the things he does for himself.

They also share with her what behaviours and professional standards that they expect of her while working as Beni’s PA. This includes things like making sure she arrives on time for her shifts, that her focus is on Beni and his needs when working and that she is not on her mobile when supporting Beni.

They also talk about things that matter to them as a family, like having quiet time first thing in the morning with no TV or radio, recycling as much food packaging as possible, and drying washing outside when possible. Kate recognises how vital it is to make sure the support she provides is led by Beni and his family, reflecting what they want from his PAs. 

In Kate’s first week, Ahmed arranges for her to spend some time with Beni’s other PAs, watching the support they provide and learning how she should provide this support herself. She begins to develop and formalise her understanding of the core skills and knowledge that she needs to have to provide person-led support.

Through shadowing others, Kate develops a comprehensive understanding of how Beni likes his support to be provided. Although the learning Kate receives from Beni, Ahmed and the existing PA team is not part of a formal qualification, it is appropriate, personalised and relevant to Beni and has been led by Beni and Ahmed.

Over time, Kate becomes more confident in the support she provides. Ahmed has been monitoring Kate’s progress and after a conversation together he agrees that she is ready to start supporting Beni on her own. 

Continuing in her role as Beni’s PA, Kate continues to develop her knowledge and skills in effective, person-led support. She becomes more confident in providing support and responding to Beni’s needs, which can vary from day to day. Over time she notes that Beni starts to show signs of memory loss.

When Beni receives a formal diagnosis of dementia, Ahmed arranges for Kate to complete a qualification in dementia awareness so that she is better able to support Beni in his changed support needs.

While she is undertaking this qualification, Kate also takes an active role in her own development. She undertakes some wider research about dementia so she can understand more about the kind of support that Beni might now need.

Ahmed also joins a local community support group where some of the members also support people with dementia. Ahmed learns a lot from this group and ensures that this learning is shared with Beni’s PA team, including taking Kate along to some of their meetings so she can learn directly from the group. 

After some years working on behalf of Ahmed to support Beni, Kate is contacted by one of the other members of the community support group, who is looking to employ a PA for themselves. Given her knowledge and skills, she feels that she is capable of supporting another person. However, she recognises that this might impact on Beni and talks this through with Ahmed.

She understands that while she has developed a comprehensive set of knowledge and skills supporting Beni, she will need to develop new skills and additional knowledge. This is to support the new person in the way they want to be supported.

This learning could come from the new IE, maybe their family, and their current team of PAs. It could also come from a more formal route of learning and development. Ahmed is supportive of Kate also working for another person as a PA, allowing Kate to continue to develop her knowledge and skills and continue her career development within adult social care. 

Ahmed - individual employer

Ahmed is an IE who employs PAs on behalf of his adult son Beni. Beni has learning and physical disabilities and as a result needs support to manage his day-to-day life. When Beni’s support plan was first defined it was important to both Beni and Ahmed that they had choice and control over how and when support is provided.

Ahmed and Beni chose to receive Beni’s personal budget through direct payment. Beni requested that his father act as his advocate and employ PAs on his behalf. Since starting this arrangement, Beni and Ahmed have built up to a team of 5 PAs providing support in a variety of areas throughout the week and weekends.  

After many years working for Ahmed and providing support to Beni, one of Beni’s long time PAs makes the decision to retire. Ahmed advertises the position online and shortly after is contacted by Kate who is interested in the role. After an initial conversation over the phone, he invites Kate to his and Beni’s home for them to interview her and confirm that she would be the right fit with the existing PA team.

Beni and Ahmed have previously found that the best PAs for Beni are those who have the right values. Kate impresses at the interview where they talk more about her values. After discussing this and agreeing it with Beni, Ahmed offers Kate the vacant PA position. 

Ahmed arranges a start date with Kate. Before the start date he plans all the information that Kate will need on her first day and within her first week. He also plans what can wait for later learning and development. On her first day, Ahmed provides an induction alongside Beni and the PA on the shift that day.

They detail the support that Beni needs to live his life, the things that are important to him and his hopes for the future. They show Kate the areas of support that Beni needs, and all the things he does for himself. They share with her the behaviours and professional standards that will be expected of her in her role supporting Beni. Beni and Ahmed also speak a bit about how they like to live their lives together and the kind of daily activities that are important to them. 

As Beni’s advocate, Ahmed knows how important it is that Beni has a staff team who can support him in the way that’s right for him. Ahmed has trained previous PAs before for Beni. He recognises that the best way for Kate to learn how to provide effective, person-led support to Beni is to get to know them both well, and for her to shadow others in the PA team.

He arranges for her to be on shift with other PAs initially. This is so that she can learn from others and build her confidence to manage these activities for herself. Ahmed observes her development and after checking with Beni that he is happy, Ahmed agrees for Kate to be on shift on her own. He continues to support Kate to develop and grow her confidence. 

After Kate has been Beni’s PA for some time, she approaches Ahmed concerned about a change in Beni’s memory. She is worried about potential memory loss. Ahmed has also noticed this and after the appropriate tests it is confirmed that Beni has dementia.

Ahmed wants to ensure that Kate, and the other PAs, all have the appropriate training to manage this new diagnosis. He arranges for each PA to complete a qualification in dementia awareness so they can start to develop the knowledge and skills to better support Beni in this new area of support.

In addition, he also researches local community groups that might be able to provide some further support and guidance. After finding a group, he arranges to attend the group sessions. Over time, as Kate takes on more of a lead role, he asks her to also join the peer network, attending when Ahmed is not able to. 

Kate later approaches Ahmed as she is considering working as an employed PA for another IE. Ahmed talks to Beni about this, and they support Kate in her decision to support others.

Ahmed’s priority is that Beni has the support he needs to live life to the fullest. They are concerned that supporting another person might limit Kate’s availability to support Beni when he needs it, but they also want to support her career and further development. Beni recognises the value that Kate’s support has brought to his life and wants this for others too.