In Canada, Personal Care Providers are identified by various occupational titles including, but not limited to, personal support worker, health care aide/assistant, home care assistant and continuing care assistant.

Due to the various program standards and provincial requirements, there was previously no existing mechanism or framework that could assist or guide employers in their review of credentials or education from outside their jurisdiction.

To address this issue, with the support of the Association of Canadian Community Colleges and its affinity group the Canadian Association of Continuing Care Educators, Health Canada sponsored a study to develop an initial set of ‘Educational Standards for Personal Care Providers’.

The content emerged from an environmental scan of a sampling of program curricula offered across the country as well as extensive consultation with stakeholders. A Steering Committee (including NACC’s previous Executive Director Anne Burns) representing the related professions, educators, regulators, employers from public and private sectors, and provincial education and health ministry representatives guided the development of the Standards.

The Standards are intended for voluntary adoption and will offer a framework for curriculum development. NACC is in the process of revising our PSW Program, and we will be using these Pan-Canadian standards as part of the framework.

To view the study, as well as the comparison resource guide, please click on the following link: http://www.accc.ca/xp/index.php/en/programs/cdnpartnerships/contcare