Details revealed of government’s care sector recruitment and development plans

On January 10th, the Department of Health and Social Care revealed a significant new package of measures that will attempt to improve social care recruitment and retention rates and reaffirm the viability of care as a long-term career choice. 

The foundation of the government’s reforms will, for the first time, supply a new career pathway and structure designed to offer the workforce within the health and social care industry the opportunity to gain the essential knowledge, skills and expertise that are required to provide outstanding levels of care. This will be called the Care Workforce Pathway. 

What is the Care Workforce Pathway? 

The Care Workforce Pathway has been designed to set out clearly how people working in social care can develop themselves and their career, showing them how they can gain skills, access to learning and development opportunities, and it will empower them to progress in their career. 

The pathway will focus on direct care and support roles at four different levels: new to care, care or support worker, supervisor or leader, and practice leader. Included in the Care Workforce Pathway are several learning opportunities that correspond to each individual level as described above.  

In an overview on the gov.uk website, the Care Workforce Pathway provides, “A shared ambition and vision for care and support workers across adult social care. 

“The pathway is designed to be a foundation which, along with wider workforce reforms, will enable individuals to develop a portable portfolio of skills attained both through learning programmes and practical experience within a range of care services, such as learning disabilities, autism or dementia.  

“These skills can include developing the clinical expertise to equip people to move into enhanced and complex care roles. The pathway will provide an evidenced and recognised platform for career progression and individual learning. “  

What else is included? 

In partnership with Skills for Care, who recently announced a campaign to promote learning and development within the care sector, new measures will include new accredited qualifications, digital training and funded apprenticeships – all of which being available in an effort to help the sector develop professionally and alleviate the current challenges around social care recruitment and staff retention within the industry. 

The new plan is backed by a £75m fund, and will also include: 

• More than £50m of funding for new qualifications 
• An investment of over £20m for apprenticeships 
• Subsidised training places 
• A new digital leadership qualification 

Minister for Social Care, Helen Whately, said: “The workforce is the heartbeat of the social care sector and staff should be given the recognition and opportunities they deserve. These changes will give brilliant care workers the chance to develop rewarding careers in social care.  

“There are also many talented people across the country who would thrive in care work but haven’t seen it as a career choice. We’re changing that; our new career path and qualifications recognise social care as the skilled profession it is. 

“Turnover of staff is lower where there is access to learning opportunities to gain skills and qualifications according to social care workforce development body, Skills for Care. Investing in better training and supporting staff to develop their careers will act as an incentive for people to join or stay in the workforce.”  

With PCS LEARN, staff have the opportunity to reach their learning and development goals through a selection of bundles that cover leadership, creativity, exercise and wellness. The whole home learning opportunities are flexible and can even be tailored to suit the individual.