Adult social care employers are celebrating the achievements of a record number of apprentices during National Apprenticeship Week which kicks off this week.

Skills for Care and Development (SfC&D) is delighted to announce that it has secured 2.2million to invest in employer initiatives to continue the development of this very important, highly skilled workforce.

Early bird tickets priced 180 (plus VAT) are now sale for the Skills for Care national conference on Thursday 8 March 2012 at the Hilton Manchester Deansgate.

Skills for Care CEO Sharon Allen today launched a practical guide to the Principles of Workforce Redesign to help adult social care employers manage the huge challenges our sector faces.

Achieving the best outcomes for people using social care services requires the right configuration of services and delivery models alongside a well trained and skilled workforce. Rigorous planning and good intelligence about the workforce are essential elements in ensuring social care has the right people, in the right places with the right skills.

Skills for Care is backing Self Care Week 2011 to help adult social care sector organisations raise awareness of what's available locally to help people take care of themselves.

Skills for Care has welcomed the launch of new citizen-led markers for councils, organisations and people to check their progress with the personalisation agenda.

Skills for Care has refreshed its innovative career pathways e-tool to include new qualifications on the Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF) and additional case studies.

A new knowledge list to support social care and health service providers working with people with autism has been launched after extensive consultation across both sectors.

Four new qualifications for people working in health and social care settings where diet and nutrition is particularly important have been launched.