Skills For Care Supports Concerns Expressed About ‘Train To Gain’

Skills for Care, the social care workforce development body in England for people working with adults, has responded to the statement made by the Education and Skills Committee earlier this week. The report put the spotlight on the Government’s Train to Gain programme.

Donald Hoodless, Chair of Skills for Care, has made the following statement: “Skills for Care, the workforce development organisation for people working in adult social care in England supports concerns expressed by the Education and Skills Committee that the Government initiative Train to Gain is “unduly restrictive preventing real choices for employers.”

“We agree fully with the Committee that the initiative – which we have supported in a practical way and will continue to do so adds an ‘extra, unwelcome layer of bureaucracy’ to the sector. It is our view that Train to Gain in its current form, cannot address specific needs or opportunities in the social care sector.

“Skills for Care believes that the most effective way of ensuring that training and qualification systems work efficiently is to place employers in control of commissioning training support.

“The Education and Skills Committee has indeed shared this view but is concerned about the capacity of Sector Skills Councils to deliver. Skills for Care is part of the Sector Skills Council which covers social care and is confident that it can provide an efficient service, which will meet particular needs.

“The Sector Skills Council, which covers social care along with employer networks, has created national, regional and local employer engagement systems. It is our opinion that there is clear evidence as a result of this partnership, that we can deliver what is needed.

“These systems have shown themselves able to efficiently manage funding and to plan for the long-term development needs of the workforce. An important task this year has been to link employer led systems with the responsibilities of Local Authority Directors of Adult Services.

In terms of employer investment and efficiency, the way forward is a ‘one channel’ funding system administered by employer led bodies such as Skills for Care. This would meet the requirements of employers working hard to achieve a competent, highly skilled workforce.”