Adult social care employers encouraged to apply to Workforce Development Fund

Skills for Care are encouraging large national organisations and lead organisations of employer led partnerships to apply to the Workforce Development Fund (WDF) to help develop the skills and knowledge of their workers.

WDF has already helped thousands of employees towards the costs of workers completing adult social care qualifications and organisations with more than 1000 employees in England can apply for a grant to support the continuing professional development of their own workforce.

Lead organisation for a local or national employer-led partnership can apply for a grant to disburse funding to members of their partnership and for new members who join during the funding year.

Skills for Care CEO Sharon Allen (pictured) said: “It has never been more important for employers to invest in their workforce, and WDF funding has been used to support the continuing professional development of staff at all levels across adult social care.

“I would urge any large employer or partnership to apply as the feedback we have had tells us that WDF does make a big difference.”

The fund allows successful applicants to claim back a contribution towards the costs of workers completing eligible Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF) and Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF) vocational qualifications.

A new development for 2017-18 is support for the RQF level 4 certificate in Principles of Leadership and Management in Adult Care and the non-accredited Lead to Succeed programme.

Further non-accredited learning programmes will be announced as they become available and will be delivered under licence by Skills for Care’s endorsed providers.

Application forms for large national organisations and employer led partnerships are now available to download here as well as all the supporting information you will need to apply.

Application forms should be submitted electronically to [email protected] by 1pm on Friday 24 February 2017.