To increase the number of individual employers and their personal assistants who access training, we offer grant opportunities to user led organisations who:
- deliver themselves, or organise, purchase and support training for people who employ their own care and support staff (individual employers)
- ensure development requirements and training needs of both personal assistants and their employers are identified; and
- meet those needs by delivering or commissioning necessary training or learning.
Fund holding organisations must be a user led organisation (an organisation run and controlled by people who use support services including disabled people, mental health service) and have a database of contact details for people who employ their own care and support staff. Skills for Care will not fund any organisation that has to go through a third party to contact employers.
This funding is not available for learning providers, local authorities or organisations that do not have direct contact with individual employers.
We will consider applications to fund, via a grant, the cost of learning that meets the needs of individual employers, for example:
- moving and assisting
- first aid
- food safety
- the role of an employer and employment law
- managing staff
- boundaries and expectations
- medication awareness
- training to support specific conditions (e.g. autism, dementia etc.)
- knowledge elements of the Care Certificate standards and where appropriate assessment that leads to the award of the Care Certificate.
Applications can include the direct costs of training, travel and the cost of hiring replacement support whilst the employer’s usual PA is attending training during their normal working hours.
If you have any questions about this funding email funding@skillsforcare.org.uk or call 0113 241 1275.
If you have any questions about completing the application please read the frequently asked questions (FAQs) in the first instance.
If you cannot find an answer to your question, email funding@skillsforcare.org.uk or call 0113 241 1275.
ULOs and other support organisations can also tell people who employ their own care and support staff about individual employer funding. This money can pay for learning and development for themselves and their personal assistants, and can be used to support qualifications like diplomas.
More information for people who employ their own care and support staff can be found on the information hub for individual employers and personal assistants.