Stepping back into learning can be daunting, but, for the staff at Highfields Nursing Home, help was at hand.

The Workforce Development Team at Careers Wales Gwent visited staff at the Blackwood-based home to help them map out the up-to-date training and development they now need to operate effectively in the Care Home sector.

Highfields employs a total of 64 people and caters for both long term residents and those who visit for respite care.

Under new Welsh Assembly Government regulations for care homes, at least half of care assistants in any home must have started studying for or completed the Basic Care NVQ 2 by 2005.

Paty Wysom from Careers Wales Gwent's Workforce Development Team said, "We knew that these new basic care standards were being introduced and recognised that many of the people it would affect might need help getting access to the training they needed.

"In addition to this many would not have undertaken formal training for many years and might be concerned about taking the first step.

"I visited Highfields Nursing home and carried out one to one interviews with every care assistant there. Initially they were quite apprehensive but after a few weeks of daily visits I had built up a good relationship with them and found that many were eager to get started."

Sheila Sheen, Matron at the Nursing Home said, "Having Paty visit us here meant that everyone had the chance to discuss any concerns about the training at a time to suit their shift pattern. The response has been extremely positive and a number of the care assistants have already started their training at Ystrad Mynach College."