welcome to skills for care's enews

The enews includes news from Skills for Care and information you may find useful from across the sector.

Workforce action
Skills for Care has launched an action plan to drive forward the Workforce Development Strategy that supports the development of capable, confident and skilled adult social care workers.

It focuses on how employers and key partners can support the implementation of the key workforce development areas in the strategy, which was was launched by Care Services Minister Paul Burstow.

The action plan can be downloaded here: workforce development strategy.

Recruitment and retention implementation plan now available
The plan is based upon the combined ambitions to emerge from both the Department of Health's Recruitment and Retention sub-group and Skills for Care's Workforce Development Strategy.

The Recruitment and Retention Implementation Plan sets out what needs to be done to expand and strengthen recruitment and retention practices within the adult social care sector in England.

The plan sets out what implementing this challenge will mean for Skills for Care, employers and their partners across the adult social care sector and all those who have a part to play. It can be downloaded here: recruitment & retention strategy.

Accolades 2011/12
Thanks to everyone who entered this years Accolades. Finalists will be announced in December and winners will be presented with their Accolade at the awards ceremony on 8 March 2012 at Hilton Manchester Deansgate. For more information on the Accolades visit www.skillsforcare.org.uk/accolades.

There are a range of sponsorship opportunities available for the Accolades 2011/12 to promote your organisation to the adult social care sector, including exclusive category sponsorship. For more information on the different options contact angela.grant@skillsforcare.org.uk.

New autism skills and knowledge list launched
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.

The autism skills and knowledge list has been developed jointly by Skills for Care, Skills for Health and the National Autistic Society after consultation with over two thousand people including health and social care professionals, commissioners and managers.
New Autism skills and knowledge list launched.

Department of Health 'Caring for our future' engagement exercise
The Government has launched 'Caring for our future: shared ambitions for care and support' to engage with people who use care and support services, carers, local councils, care providers, and the voluntary sector about the priorities for improving care and support.

Caring for our future is an opportunity to bring together the recommendations from the Law Commission and the Commission on Funding of Care and Support with the Government's Vision for Adult Social Care. The engagement exercise will run until 2 December and the results from the discussions will inform a Government White Paper and a progress report on funding reform that will be published in spring 2012.

For more information and for details on how to get involved, please go to: www.caringforourfuture.dh.gov.uk.

Local Authorities are reminded to include data in the NMDS-SC
Between 12 September and 7 October 2011 Local Authorities are reminded to submit organisational and worker data to the NMDS-SC instead of completing the old SSDS001 return.

Local Authorities can access information on what fields should be completed by following this link http://www.nmds-sc-online.org.uk/Get.aspx?id=659945. Local Authorities can find out what percentage of worker records are complete and whether establishment data is complete by logging into the parent account and running the LA Progress Report.

Workforce Development Fund
Any employer who wants to claim NVQ units through the Workforce Development Fund (WDF) needs to submit completed NVQ unit summary sheets to their WDF lead partner as soon as possible. All NVQ unit claims must be received by the Skills for Care contracts unit by 31 October 2011. Employers must have completed and submitted a partnership form for 2011/12 and meet the NMDS-SC requirements. For more information on the WDF visit www.skillsforcare.org.uk/wdf.

Personal Assistants (PAs) Framework
A framework for supporting personal assistants (PAs) working in adult social care has been developed. It sets out a strategy to enable support for the PA workforce and their employers.

Skills for Care is the lead delivery partner for this work and is now beginning to start the implementation and realisation of the framework. The steering group is committed to achieving this through strong co-operation from within the sector. Therefore, we would like to welcome volunteers to be part of the "sector advisory group" which will have many roles including informing, directing and advising on how the work should be taken forward. For more information click on the link below:
Personal assistants framework.

New look apprenticeship website
Skills for Care has restructured the apprenticeship section of their website to make it easier for users to find the information relevant to them. The section is now split into information for employers, supply side, potential apprentices and partners as well as having a page dedicated to news and activities. Visit www.skillsforcare.org.uk/apprenticeships.

Default retirement age
1 October 2011 is a milestone in removing the Default Retirement Age (DRA). From this date, employers can no longer force employees to retire just because they reach the arbitrary age of 65. This means that most people will be able to retire at a time which is right for them. Through its Age Positive initiative, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has published three key publications to provide information for employers: http://www.dwp.gov.uk/policy/ageing-society/managing-without-fixed-retirement/

Good recruitment strategies lead to higher rates of retention. If you take the time to attract the right people to work with you and carry out a thorough recruitment process, you are more likely to retain better quality staff for longer.

The removal of the default retirement age (DRA) is an opportunity for employers to review their practices, policies and processes for managing employees and their performance.

For more information on the range of practical tools to help support your recruitment and retention visit www.skillsforcare.org.uk/recruitment.

Working in partnership to implement the reform of social work education
The Social Work Reform Board brings together key organisations involved in the education and training of social workers, their employers and managers and service users to support the sector to achieve sustainable long term reform.

The board will be circulating recommendations and related products to improve the quality and consistency of social work initial courses and the principles which underpin effective partnership working. The information will be available at http://www.education.gov.uk/swrb.

Skills for Care is supporting the Social Work Reform Board programme to reform social work by holding a series of workshops in October/November 2011 and February/March 2012. The workshops will be delivered in partnership with the Social Work Reform Board and aim to inform, share learning and exchange views on current developments in social work. For more information visit www.skillsforcare.org.uk/events.

- in your area -

Could you benefit from involvement with the Pan-Sussex Dementia Workforce Development Group?
The network meets four times a year and offers information on national and local work being carried out to support dementia care workforce development (both within social care and health) as well as the opportunity to find out about resources, practice and ideas. Members are able to influence what development is provided across the Sussex area by contributing to consultations and learning needs identifications.

For more details about the work of the group and how to get involved please contact Karen Stevens, Skills for Care Area Officer for Surrey and Sussex: karen.stevens@skillsforcare.org.uk 07969 749 451.

- events -

Association of Colleges event
10 October 2011, 10.30-15.00, Hammersmith, West London and Ealing College
Free for those working in college health and social care departments

This event is hosted by Paula Whittle, Association of Colleges sector champion for health and social care and will focus on delivery and best practice of Health and Social Care Apprenticeships.

For more information and to book your place visit: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dDllYks0a3hpc0lDbjZtdm1uTnhPWEE6MQ 
or contact Jain Hamoudi, Executive Assistant to Paula Whittle - jainh@gspace.wlc.ac.uk.
For location details visit: http://www.wlc.ac.uk/downloads/maps/HammersmithMap.pdf

- consultations -

Stroke care management - units for consultation
Skills for Care has developed new units on stroke management for those working in social care for new qualifications on the qualifications and credit framework (QCF). We would like to hear your thoughts on these proposed units.

One of the proposed qualifications is for general stroke awareness for a wide range of staff. The second level 3 qualification is for those who may have a more specialist role in stroke care management.

The questionnaire is in a new format which has been designed following feedback, to reduce the time you will need to spend in completing it. Please visit: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/SfC_QCF_StrokeCare to make your comments. The closing date is Friday 21 October 2011.

Infection Prevention and Control National Occupational Standards review
This is your opportunity to influence the development of National Occupational Standards which will underpin future learning and development within the area of Infection Prevention and Control. We need your knowledge and expertise to ensure that the revised standards reflect current best practice. It is important that the social care sector embraces these NOS as they are a key part of the work and services we deliver.

Please visit www.skillsforhealth.org.uk/consultations to make your comments. The consultation closes on Monday 31 October 2011. For more information click the link: Infection prevention and control competences.

Apprenticeships in the voluntary and community sector
Skills for Care, in partnership with the Department of Health, actively promotes social care apprenticeship programmes. Skills for Care designs the framework for those working in social care and the Skills Funding Agency supports the training with funding. Apprenticeships have the scope for any specialist employer requirements to be included.

Apprenticeships in the community and voluntary sector are increasing. We would like to invite community and voluntary sector organisations working in social care to take part in a consultation so we can hear your views of apprenticeships.

To complete the short survey visit: www.surveymonkey.com/s/VoluntaryApprentices. The closing date is Friday 14 October 2011.

Further Education loans
The Government has launched a consultation on its plans to introduce Further Education loans from 2013. As this will affect some categories of Apprenticeships we would like apprentices, apprenticeship providers, employers and as many organisations as possible with a key interest to respond.

Feedback can be provided via a simple online form found here New Challenges, New Chances and must be submitted by Friday 21 October 2011.

The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) has produced a background document including a Q&A section which you may find useful:
Background to Further Education loans.

Skills for Care works to ensure the adult social care sector has a modern, flexible and highly skilled workforce to deliver quality care. We are committed to working with employers and other key stakeholders to ensure we are supporting their needs and those of people who use services and carers.