"Caregiving Certification: Is It Worth It and Where to Get It?"

Published: 26.01.2022 v tipy pre opatrovateľky

In Slovakia, according to Act No. 448/2008 §84, working as a caregiver requires meeting one of the following qualification criteria: completed education in a field focused on caregiving or healthcare provision, or completion of an accredited caregiving course of at least 220 hours. If you are interested in working through our agency, in most offers, completing the course is not a prerequisite. However, it is necessary to have caregiving experience in families or institutions. If you have completed a course and have a certificate, it is a significant advantage over other applicants who lack caregiving experience. In this case, you need to send us your certificate.

Where can I take a course?

Caregiver courses are organized by educational institutions throughout Slovakia. In most cities, they are overseen by the Slovak Red Cross. Courses are also provided by educational agencies such as Dôstojný život všetkým, n. o., VaV Academy, and BM Agency. Of course, there are countless organizations in Slovakia dedicated to caregiver courses. Before investing money in a course, make sure to verify whether the agency has valid accreditation from the Ministry of Labor, Social Affairs and Family of the Slovak Republic.

 

How much does the course cost?

The cost of courses varies among educational agencies. On average, course prices range from 119 – 289 euros. This price usually includes 220 hours of accredited course, study materials, and the issuance of a certificate of completion of the accredited course.

 

Can I have the course for free?

If you are registered in the employment seekers' database at the Employment Office, you can take the course through REPAS+ and the course will be completely free of charge for you. In this case, you must submit an application to your Employment Office no later than 14 days before the course starts. After submitting the application, the Employment Office will evaluate the application and issue a decision. If your application is approved, the Employment Office will sign a contract with you and issue a so-called REPAS. You will submit this confirmation to the educational agency. Within 15 calendar days after successfully completing the retraining, you will deliver to the Employment Office: a certificate of completion of retraining, an invoice issued by the educational agency, and a request for reimbursement of the retraining contribution.