Although care assistants provide the bulk of care in homes, little is known about the type and the extent of their training and qualifications. This report sets out to provide a clearer picture of training provision across the care home sector and to explore some of the problems associated with improving the position in England and Wales. In particular it addresses the following key topics:

• the range and type of training available to care homes
• how far the status and size of a home influences the type and extent of training that it provides
• what influences decisions to provide training
• the demonstrable or perceived benefits of training
• the number of care assistants currently trained or qualified

The findings reveal great variation. There are some homes which provide little or no training while others have well-developed strategies. There are also some glaring gaps in the range of training undertaken; and while there is little idea of the cost of training, many homes argue that they cannot offer training because of the cost.