The Digital Skills Framework is a free resource to help support the development of digital skills across the adult social care workforce.
The framework defines seven key areas of effective digital working, organised in two ‘levels’: ‘digital skills for all staff’, and ‘go further’ with digital skills. It can be used by social care employers to help with planning staff training or by individuals for their personal development.
The framework supports the government commitment in Next Steps to Put People at the Heart of Care to provide a ‘comprehensive digital learning offer’ for the adult social care sector.
Objectives of the framework
- define the digital skills that care professionals should be working towards at different levels
- help social care employers and staff identify where they could develop their digital skills (with signposting to training via the Digital Social Care website)
- provide direction to learning providers on the topics that should be covered in social care digital skills training.
Who is it for?
The framework can be used by anyone working in adult social care. For example:
- people working in adult social care who are looking to develop their skills
- social care employers who are looking for training opportunities for their staff
- social care managers, business support professionals and similar roles, who are implementing digital technologies in their organisations
- local authorities and ICSs, to help with supporting care providers and adult social care professionals locally
- learning providers and L&D managers, to support the development of training resources.
Why the framework was developed
Pre 2021 - there was growing recognition of the importance of digital skills. For example, the Department for Education’s (2018) Essential Digital Skills Framework – reinforced by more digital working during pandemic
In December 2021, People at the Heart of Care and the Adult Social Care Technology and Digital Skills Review were published.
Access the framework
You can find out more about the Digital Skills Framework and download a copy on the Digital Social Care website.
Launch event
Hosted in partnership with NHS-TD, the Digital Skills Framework launch event took place on Tuesday 16 May 2023.
Speakers included the Care Quality Commission, NHS-Transformation Directorate, Skills for Care and employers.
The following video is a recording on the launch event.