Resources, guidance and sources of support for the adult social care workforce.

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1 February 2024

Next week is Race Equality Week and this year’s theme is #ListenActChange. During the week we’re encouraging you and your teams to take part in our Race Equality Week learning challenge and drive positive change in your organisation. We’ve got resources to support team development, individual learning and longer-term opportunities in the arena of equality, diversity and inclusivity. Find out more on our Race Equality Week webpage.

We’ll also be supporting LGBT+ History Month which takes place in February. This year’s theme is #UnderTheScope which will celebrate LGBTQ+ peoples’ contribution to the field of medicine and healthcare both historically and today. Throughout the month, we’ll be publishing a number of good news stories to highlight the successful implementation of the LGBTQ+ learning framework, as well quotes and testimonials on social media.

Why not come along to our registered manager webinar on LGBTQ+ good and best practice on Thursday 29 February? It will look at how services can treat people as individuals, celebrate diversity, and support the wellbeing of the LGBTQ+ community within your service. Register now.

Recruitment
support

Developing your workforce

Support for leaders and managers

Workforce
intelligence

Regulated professional workforce

Events

Blogs and
articles

Recruitment support

Guidance on flexible working approaches

Flexible working approaches can significantly benefit both employers and employees by increasing job satisfaction, work-life balance, and productivity - which all have an impact on retention.
We’ve developed guidance on flexible working approaches in adult social care, drawing on best practices in social care, the NHS and other industries. The guidance aims to provide adult social care employers with practical examples to help implement flexible working arrangements effectively, considering the unique needs of the sector

⇨ See the guidance

New podcast - I get most of my success on a Sunday!

In our latest podcast from ‘The care exchange’, Stephen Forster shares his top tips on attracting workers to roles by creating distinctive job adverts, developing an amazing recruitment journey for each candidate and how to reduce interview no-shows. We also chat about the importance of 10-minute phone calls with people before setting up an interview, managing your social media to develop a personality for your company and ideas around value-based retention.

⇨ Listen now

Developing your workforce

Digital leadership programme

Our successful digital leadership programme is designed specifically for registered managers and deputy managers working in adult social care. The four-day virtual programme has been developed to build digital confidence and ability. It will support managers to have the underpinning skills, knowledge and models of digital leadership that can be practically applied when implementing technology in a care service and promote best practice. The programme starts on Tuesday 16 April 2024.

⇨ Find out more and book your place

Introductory modules for managers

Based on the Manager Induction Standards, we offer 11 introductory eLearning modules for managers covering topics including supporting and developing teams, effective communication, making decisions and managing resources. Each module aims to support new and aspiring managers in becoming an effective leader and can be completed flexibly. Employers can claim £50 per completed module from the Workforce Development Fund.

⇨ Find out more about the modules

Individual employer funding

People who employ personal assistants can apply for money to pay for training to develop the knowledge and skills of their personal assistants and themselves as an employer. This opportunity is open to people who are in receipt of a social care direct payment and those that use their own money to employ personal assistants.
Closing date for all applications is 17:00 on 15 March 2024

⇨ Find out more and apply

Support for leaders and managers

Delivering outstanding care seminar

Tuesday 27 February 2024 I 10:00 – 15:30 I Zoom
This popular one-day interactive seminar provides invaluable insight into what it takes to deliver the highest standards of care and how to exceed CQC expectations. By attending the seminar, you will gain an understanding of what outstanding care looks like, learn how to strengthen each key question and quality statement and know what you will need to do to evidence outstanding care.

⇨ Register now

Moving Up – starts 30 April

Our Moving Up programme supports Black and Asian minoritised groups who are managers or aspiring managers and have the desire and drive to progress in their career but are facing blockages preventing them from doing so. The programme gives participants an increased understanding of who they are, their strengths and weaknesses and a variety of techniques to help overcome any personal challenges. Register by 15 March.

⇨ Find out more and register

New Directors programme

If you’re a new or aspiring director of adult social services, this programme is for you. It will cover leadership, communication, resilience and political intelligence amongst other things. We know this role is challenging so come and meet and speak to others who are in the role whilst learning new skills and tools that can help you in the workplace. Programme starts 16 April.

⇨ Find out more and register

Workforce intelligence

New benefits of ASC-WDS can help you #KeepLearning

Having an Adult Social Care Workforce Data Set (ASC-WDS) account just got even better. We’ve added new benefits to our Benefits Bundle, which now includes 10% off our ‘Delivering outstanding care' seminar and ‘Recruiting for values’ programme. This is on top of the many other discounts you can receive on products and services from Skills for Care and other organisations.
Having an ASC-WDS account also means that you can access our new funded leadership training via our endorsed learning providers for free. This includes our Well-led, Leading Change Improving Care and Understanding Self-management Skills programmes.

⇨ Login or register for an ASC-WDS account today

Regulated professional workforce

New guidance: Developing nursing placement opportunities

Social care nursing placements offer a wealth of opportunities with employers and practice learning partners playing a key role in supporting students to reach their full potential. With an ongoing demand for nurses and nursing associates within the sector there is a need to increase placement capacity. This guidance is aimed at employers and those considering hosting students to help them navigate the process of linking in with higher education institutions and highlights the benefits that there are for employers in hosting students.

⇨ View the guidance

Nursing recruitment and retention webinar series

7 February to 5 March 2024 | 13:00 - 13:45 | Zoom
Recruiting and retaining the nursing workforce within social care is more important than ever. We’re running a series of webinars for those invested in the social care nursing workforce. Each webinar is designed to explore recruitment and retention best practice approaches, including career opportunities, developing learning environments and supporting early careers nurses.

⇨ Book now and find out more

Nursing associate peer network event

If you’re a nursing associate or student nurse working in adult social care and looking to connect with peers, join our series of online networking meetings. Whether you’re currently working, on placement, or intending to work in adult social care, sign up and take the opportunity to share best practice, discuss challenges, and engage in collective problem-solving with your peers. The next event is on Wednesday 28 February 2024 from 13:00 to 14:30 via Zoom.

⇨ Book now

Events

Registered manager webinar: Change management - sharing lessons and learning from managers leading digital change in their services

Thursday 8 February I 10:00 – 11:00 I Zoom

This webinar will provide an overview of leadership skills for change management to support digital change. We will provide practical advice relating to operational challenges associated with implementing digital changes in your services, best practice examples and the benefits for your staff and the people you support.

⇨ Book now

Equity at the heart of the ASYE

Thursday 29 February I 10:00 - 15:30 I Crowne Plaza Birmingham City Centre

This event will focus on equity in the Assessed and Supported Year in Employment (ASYE), ensuring that all newly qualified social workers have an ASYE experience tailored to their individual strengths and support needs. We’ll focus on supporting ASYE co-ordinators to develop an equality, diversity and inclusion framework, and how to learn from each other.

⇨ Book now

Improving your CQC rating seminar

Thursday 21 March 2024 I 10:00 – 15:30 I Zoom

This interactive seminar is for services who have fallen below CQC standards and are looking for practical ways to recover and achieve a Good rating. You’ll gain an understanding of what you will be expected to evidence and how to demonstrate issues have been successfully addressed.

⇨ Register now

Being prepared for CQC inspection seminar

Thursday 18 April 2024 I 10:00 – 15:30 I Zoom

With the changes to inspection, this seminar brings together frontline managers to learn about the step-by-step ways to be ready to evidence that your service meets CQC expectations to achieve a Good or Outstanding rating. Discover practical ways to prepare for inspection and evidence the quality care you’re providing.

⇨ Register now

Delegated healthcare activities: learn and share event

Thursday 29 February 2024 I 10:00 - 15:00 I One Park Crescent, London W1B 1SH

Join us at this event for those with experience of delegated healthcare activities. You’ll hear about the learning from our recent evaluation of the voluntary guiding principles and resources to support delegation of healthcare activities.
Deborah Sturdy CBE, Chief Nurse for Social Care, will lead the day which will include case studies and roundtable discussions focusing on how to introduce and embed the principles into practice and understanding how to commission safe delegation.

⇨ Places are limited, so book now to avoid disappointment