All staff working in adult social care should be able to access and take part in learning and development so they can carry out their role effectively and deliver high quality care.
Hazelwell Lodge, a 35-bed residential care home, has successfully used Skills for Care’s workforce development fund to achieve level 2 or 3 diplomas for 99% of its care-related staff.
Manager Claire Kingdon oversees 52 care staff at Hazelwell Lodge and uses the funding with the main aim of continually developing her staff.
She says: “It’s important that we have a fully trained team that will provide the best quality of care to every individual within our home. By continually developing the team, they can understand our residents’ needs and preserve their dignity, whilst respecting their independence.”
The workforce development fund (WDF) is a stream of funding available to social care employers, which focuses on the achievement of qualification units and supports the ongoing professional development of staff across adult social care in England.
Hazelwell Lodge has used the fund across the business, primarily for staff to obtain credits towards their diplomas. Modules have included food hygiene, first aid and health and safety. Distance learning packages have also been completed by all employees in specialist areas, such as dementia care, including cleaning and kitchen staff.
“We are using the fund for continuous staff development,” says Kingdon. “99% of care-related staff at the home have achieved the level 2 or 3 diplomas as a direct result of the workforce development fund. It is supporting their professional development through the sector, even if they leave us to go into nursing. I know there are some excellent nurses out there because of the support we’ve given them through this fund.”
As well as using the WDF to make a significant contribution towards the costs of workers completing health and social care qualifications and units, employers can use the funding towards university qualifications included in the higher apprenticeship in care leadership and management.
Kingdon says: “When you have 52 staff that all need skilling up it can be quite expensive, so the WDF has really helped us from a financial perspective. We simply wouldn’t be able to put on as much training as we do without the support of the workforce development fund. It definitely creates an opportunity to further develop the team.”
Adult social care employers can apply for funding through their local employer-led partnership. Contact details for these partnerships can be found here. If you operate in an area without a partnership, you can apply for funding direct from Skills for Care.
To find out more about the WDF and how to apply, visit the Skills for Care website.
Content on this page is produced and controlled by Skills for Care, sponsor of the Guardian Social Care Network leadership, learning and development hub
