Funds for the professional development of England’s social care sector released

Skills For Care has opened the application process to allocate workforce development funds (WDF) which provides support for the on-going professional development of staff across the adult social care sector in England.

The funding stream, from the Department of Health, will be allocated to national organisations and lead partners of employer led partnerships.

Skills For Care chief executive officer Sharon Allen explained: “The workforce development fund has already supported a large number of adult social care employers to create a capable, confident and skilled workforce that will be well placed to deliver high quality care to people who use services.

“The WDF is a scarce resource in these tough economic times and the new three year agreements with partnerships is clear evidence of our commitment to sustained investment in workforce development.”

It is the responsibility of these organisations to distribute the funding to individual establishments. Lead partners must also ensure partnerships are open to all members within the adult care sector, including micro-employers and individual employers. The WDF also supports the achievement of qualification units across the care sector. ‘Social care’ includes residential care, domiciliary care and social work with all its specialisms.

Skills For Care promote and develop the social care sector’s national occupational standards, which are statements of competence that describe ‘best practice’.

This year, Skills For Care has significantly changed the way WDF is distributed by making three year agreements with partnerships. This is in recognition that a longer term commitment will allow employers to make the most of the fund.

The tender process closes on 22 February 2013 and employers will be able to access WDF 13/14 funding from April 2013.

For further information please visit www.skillsforcare.org.uk/wdf