Skills for Care back Learning at Work Day

News release 19 May 2011

Skills for Care are backing Learning at Work day with an innovative tool to help frontline adult social care workers with numeracy and literacy skills.

They have produced Learning through Work which is a series of learning modules developing communication and number skills in adult social care workplaces. The seven booklets are designed to help supervisors deliver bite-size chunks of learning wherever natural learning opportunities arise in day to day care work.

Each booklet is divided into segments that can be read in less than three minutes and also includes learning questions and quizzes to promote discussion. The booklets include Reporting, Writing skills, Bodily functions, Physical Health, Using numbers, Number skills and How much, how often.

The resource was produced after extensive consultation with workers across the sector who wanted support with their basic numeracy and literacy skills presented in a fun and easy to use way.

"As an organisation who are committed to continued professional development in our sector we listened to what workers wanted, and produced an easy to use guide that supports numeracy and literacy skills in a sensitive and non-intrusive way," says Skills for Care CEO Sharon Allen.

"We are big supporters of Learning at Work day and the feedback on the booklets has been very positive, so we hope employers will buy copies of this guide as they are ideal for workers to consult as they go about their duties."

The Learning through Work guides are available from www.skillsforcare.org.uk/publications priced at £25 for the full set, which includes a managers guide.

Media enquiries:

Paul Clarke: 0113 2411297/ 07977519287. paul.clarke@skillsforcare.org.uk

Notes to editors:

1. Skills for Care is the employment-led strategic body for workforce development in adult social care in England, which is licensed jointly with its UK allies by UKCES to be the 'Skills for Care and Development' Sector Skills Council (SSC). Both organisations are chaired by Professor David Croisdale-Appleby. The other members of the SSC are the Children's Workforce Development Council (also for England), the General Social Care Council, the Scottish Social Services Council, the Care Council for Wales, and the Northern Ireland Social Care Council.
2. Skills for Care forms a strategic overview of workforce needs in adult social care, which accounts for nearly 1.6 million workers or 5 per cent of England's workforce, spread over 40,600 establishments employing care staff. Skills for Care members are drawn from groups representing public, private and voluntary sector care employers, along with representatives of staff, trainers, service users and informal carers. Social care includes residential care, domiciliary care and social work with all its specialisms.
3. Skills for Care and its SSC allies promote and develop the social care sector's National Occupational Standards which are statements of competence that describe 'best practice'.
4. Skills for Care regional committees are major brokers of funding for social care workforce development.