A new initiative has been launched to help young people who have been through the care system and armed forces veterans to access careers in the care sector.
LOVE@care, part of Hamilton-based social business the LOVE group has launched the ‘Vocational Care Pathway’ which aims to tackle high demand for care workers in Scotland whilst supporting people into employment.
Under the initiative, participants will enter an SQA accredited education programme and then begin a Modern Apprenticeship with guaranteed employment within LOVE@care and other organisations, with opportunities for promotion and career growth.
With people living longer, and an expansion in early learning and childcare, there is a higher demand for people to work in care in order to tackle the sector’s current understaffing crisis.
Currently, the number of vacancies in the care sector is growing, with the latest data from the Care Inspectorate indicating that 38 per cent of services reported having vacancies, up 2 per cent on the previous year.
In addition, 45 per cent of services with vacancies reporting problems filling them.
This problem is set to be exacerbated by Brexit which could lead to lower levels of immigration to Scotland. EU nationals account for 5.6 per cent of staff in the care sector currently, with 42 per cent of care services recruitment overseas coming from the EU.
Lynn Bell, CEO of the LOVE group said: “We are operating in a sector with a major disparity between the number of care workers and the demand for those services. At the same time, we provide support to care experienced young people and veterans through other programmes we organise.
“Marrying up care experienced young adults and veterans with employment opportunities within the care sector therefore just seemed a natural thing to do and is a ‘win-win’ for both parties.
“With the Vocational Care Pathway we provide education and training, allowing these individuals to gain the qualifications to move through the ranks of the care sector and help establish this as their career of choice.”
