Unit 1.3: Caring Skills and Techniques
1. Define the following 5 caring skills and techniques:
a) Observation
b) Social perception
c) Working alongside service users
d) Modelling
e) Setting challenges
2. Copy the table below. Decide which of the examples in the table below
illustrates which technique from question 1, and write a-e in the middle
column.
Write a brief description of how the technique described in each example
could benefit the client.
Example a-e Explanation
a) Barry’s carer says, “why don’t you do
the shopping on your own today Barry?”
b) Ted, who is autistic, is sitting at a
table doing a jigsaw puzzle. A carer sits
down next to him and starts doing a
different jigsaw.
c) Gordon notices that one of the
residents has suddenly become very
forgetful and confused.
d) Mary is sitting in a hunched position
with her eyes closed. Her hands are
gripping the arms of the chair tightly. A
carer thinks that Mary is anxious or
upset about something.
e) Gary is playing with a very shy
toddler. The toddler gives Gary a
beaker. Gary smiles at him and says,
“Thank you.” Gary gives the beaker
back, and the toddler smiles. The
toddler gives the beaker back to Gary
who smiles and says, “Thank you” again.
3. Define the following 5 caring skills and techniques:
a) Communication
b) Encouragement
c) Showing approval
d) Physical Contact
e) Creating trust
4. Copy the table below. Decide which of the examples in the table below
illustrates which technique from question 1, and write a-e in the middle
column.
Write a brief description of how the technique described in each example
could benefit the client.
Example a-e Explanation
a) Lisa arrives home from school looking
upset and says, “Everybody hates me.”
She explains what has upset her to her
mother, who listens carefully.
b) Lisa puts her arms round Lisa’s
shoulders.
c) When Lisa has told her mother about
problems at school before, her mother
has never told anyone else about it
without asking Lisa’s permission.
d) Ben has just finished a painting
showing a black spiky blob on a red
background. His father asks him what it
is. Ben replies, “My Daddy.” His father
says, “It’s lovely. Can I keep it?”
e) A probation officer is running a
residential course for young offenders.
He comments to one of them, “You kept
your anger under control all morning
today, so you get to captain the red
team for football this afternoon.”
5. Define the following 5 caring skills and techniques:
a) Gaining compliance
b) Distraction
c) Reducing negative feelings and behaviours and reducing conflict
d) Disengagement
e) Using eye contact and facial expression
6. Copy the table below. Decide which of the examples in the table below
illustrates which technique from question 1, and write a-e in the middle
column.
Write a brief description of how the technique described in each example
could benefit the client.
Example a-e Explanation
a) A practice nurse says to an angry
patient, “I’m sorry you’re upset. I
honestly didn’t mean to offend you.”
b) A social worker is visiting a client.
The client becomes abusive. The social
worker says he has to go to see another
client, but will come back the following
day.
c) While a patient is describing his
symptoms, a GP nods and looks at him
with a thoughtful expression on her
face.
d) A babysitter asks two young children,
“Would you like to go to bed at eight
o’clock or half past eight?”
e) A parent holds up a picture book for
her child to look at while the nurse gives
the child an MMR vaccination.
Appropriate and inappropriate responses
These questions give examples of carers using techniques that might not be
appropriate. In each case, explain why the carer’s response might be
inappropriate and suggest a better way of responding. In your answer you
should refer to at least one of the 15 caring skills.
7. A child refuses to tidy up her toys and starts screaming. Her father
screams back at her, and throws one of the toys across the room.
a) The carer’s response is inappropriate because…
b) A better response would be…
8. A care assistant is sitting with an elderly resident, who is joining in a
flower-arrangement activity. When the resident stops, the care assistant
says, “Well go on, you haven’t finished it yet.”
a) The carer’s response is inappropriate because…
b) A better response would be…
9. A teacher in a school special unit notices that a 13-year-old boy is very
quiet, but pays little attention to him because he is no trouble. The boy finds
the work he is given to do very easy. However, when the boy tries to cut his
arm with a pair of scissors, the teacher gives him a lot of attention.
a) The teacher’s response is inappropriate because…
b) A better response would be…
10. A young boy feels unwell and sits by his mother’s chair, leaning against her
legs. The mother gets up and moves to another chair. Soon he moves over to
where she is. She says angrily, “Why are you following me around?”
a) The carer’s response is inappropriate because…
b) A better response would be…
11. A dentist is drilling into the root canal of a patient’s tooth. She
comments, “You’re feeling a bit of discomfort, I expect. Wish me luck; I
haven’t done many of these before.”
a) The carer’s response is inappropriate because…
b) A better response would be…