Gathering effective references for staff working in social care settings has always been an essential element of safe and fair recruitment, but many employers experience barriers and challenges obtaining or providing them.
The temporary arrangements put in place due to COVID-19 have resulted in an increased need for satisfactory social care references and evidence of conduct, particularly as current guidance allows staff working in COVID-19 eligible roles to start employment prior to receipt of an enhanced DBS certificate.
Skills for Care is working with the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS), Reed Screening, Dominic Headley and Associates and VBA Consulting, to create some guidance and tools to help employers share effective references and conduct information.
To support this work, we’re asking organisations within the social care and health sector to take part in a short survey, which focuses on how they currently obtain and provide references and their understanding of references and the part they play within recruitment.
Complete the survey here. The closing date is 31 December 2020.
The survey will be followed by online workshops in early 2021 that will:
- provide further information about the project
- examine the barriers and challenges that employers face in gathering and providing references and evidence of conduct
- look at any ideas that participants have for improving referencing within the social care and health sector, or any practices that currently work well within their organisation.
Dates and times of the workshops are:
Wednesday 13 January 2021, 12.30 - 15.00
Thursday 21 January 2021, 12.30 - 15.00
Wednesday 3 February 2021, 12.30 - 15.00
This consultation activity will inform the development of resources which will provide social care employers with the guidance, knowledge and tools to allow them to share accurate and relevant information about individuals with prospective employers – and with DBS, when appropriate.
Register your interest in a workshop
To find out more about this consultation, or register your interest in a workshop, please email dominic@dominicheadleyassociates.co.uk
Skills for Care in partnership with East Sussex County Council (ESCC), Adult Social Care Training Team have developed this consultation guide which sets out some practical guidelines for staff on how to support people with some of the current Covid-19 challenges.
Some of these challenges could be wearing face coverings, sanitising their hands and maintaining social distancing. These changes in behaviour can be hard to achieve and many people will need additional support in order to be able to do this without increasing their anxiety.
The consultation guide is supported by a Resource list which has links to government guidance, information, advice, easy read documents and you tube videos about how to manage these challenges.
We would like you to use this consultation guide and send us any feedback by 5 February 2021 to policy@skillsforcare.org.uk