Practical guide to Principles of Workforce Redesign launched

News release 16 November 2011

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.

The guide was launched at the English Community Care Association's national conference offering a series of practical steps to manage fundamental shifts in the services that organisations provide and to transform those services to meet current needs and expectations.

Throughout the document there is a clear focus on the central role of the workforce, and how workers can be supported to develop their skills and confidence to deliver improved services.

The guide includes practical solutions to involving the whole workforce in planning and decision making and making sure their concerns and worries are addressed.

Topics in the guide include responses to change and loss, ways to engage the whole workforce, understanding how adults learn, recognising the different skills and abilities of individuals, and how different parts of organisations are linked.

"In a time of huge change Skills for Care has published this flexible guide to offer employers of all sizes practical support to manage significant changes in service delivery," says Sharon Allen.

"We launched it at ECCA's national conference because they have been hugely supportive, offering us clear guidance about what frontline employers wanted to see in the guide which means it is fit for purpose."

For details on how to get your copy visit - www.skillsforcare.org.uk/workforceredesign

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 1.56 million workers spread over 48,300 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 area networks are major brokers of funding for social care workforce development.