Workforce development and support

National

Care Certificate qualification

The Care Certificate qualification is a baseline standard for all new care workers to work towards when they join the profession. 

It increases opportunities for career progression and development. Further information is available at workforce pathway for adult social care on GOV.UK.

Other training is available nationally and includes: 

Prevent duty training

This eLearning offers an introduction to the prevent duty and explains how it aims to safeguard vulnerable people from being radicalised, supporting terrorism or becoming terrorists themselves. This training addresses all forms of terrorism and non-violent extremism, including far right wing and Islamist extremism threatening the UK. For more information or to book, visit GOV.UK.

Oliver McGowan training

The government has introduced a requirement for Care Quality Commission (CQC) registered service providers to ensure the health and social care workforce has the right skills and knowledge to provide safe, compassionate and informed care to autistic people and people with a learning disability. This course is mandatory for Social Care and Health staff affiliated with Croydon Council. To access this training, visit NHS England.

Regional

There have been a range of initiatives at south west London level, including:

Skills Academy Hub

The Mayor of London has awarded funding to organisations to lead the establishment and delivery of hubs which support Londoners into good work in the green economy, creative industries, digital, health and hospitality sectors. 

The South West London Social Care Academy Hub is part of the Greater London Authority’s Mayor’s Skills Academies covering the six London Boroughs of Croydon, Kingston upon Thames, Merton, Richmond upon Thames, Sutton and Wandsworth. For further information visit the adult social care academy hub or email SWLSocialCareAcademyHub@southlondonpartnership.co.uk.

Workforce Development Funding (WDF)

A new round of Skills for Carers WDF will be opening shortly. Employers can claim back money towards the cost of completing qualifications, learning programmes and online modules. To claim you need to join a local funding partnership. Please contact laura.anthony@skillsforcare.org.uk if you’d like to be linked to the South West London partnership.

Local

Curious about Care

Curious about Care is a free recruitment screening tool created to help employers understand what motivates their candidates. ‘Curious about Care’ allows you to explore different scenarios with a candidate to better understand their values and behaviours, helping you assess if they are a good fit for your workplace.

Digital Skills Framework for the adult social care sector

The Digital Skills Framework is a resource to support the development of digital skills across the adult social care workforce. It’s structured around 7 themes and aims to help employers and individuals working in adult social care to plan their learning and choose the right digital skills training for their needs. 

Croydon Works:

Free job advertising

Croydon Works can help you advertise your vacancies to a wide audience of Croydon residents. They can upload your job vacancies to their job board and distribute your vacancy to over 7000 residents, as well as their referral network of over 100 partners, including all local job centres. 

Training

Croydon Works work with locally based social care training providers to offer residents quality training opportunities and pathways into Social Care. They can work with training providers to upskill residents to meet the requirements for your vacancies.

Apprenticeships

Utilising Croydon Council's Apprenticeship Levy, can help you with all the information you need to take on an apprentice in your business, including the potential to fund the training costs of your apprenticeship.

To find out more about the support available visit www.croydonworks.co.uk or email croydon-works@croydon.gov.uk.

Croydon council-run workforce training

Me Learning is an online portal that provides access to a range of training material. Courses are available free to anyone that lives or works in Croydon. 

Care staff benefits

Discounts for Carers offers information on discounts, cashback and vouchers for Carers and Care Workers.

Blue Light Card provides access to more than 15,000 discounts online and on the high street for its community members, those working for the emergency services, NHS, social care sector and armed forces. Membership costs £4.99 for 2 years.

Proud to Care Rewards is an ADASS-sponsored, free reward scheme available to adult social care staff. By registering with your scheme ID number (which can be found on your Proud to Care Rewards letter or by contacting programme.support.officer@LondonADASS.org.uk), you can access an array of online discounts and gift cards as well as the Vectis discount card.

Croydon Council offers information on the benefits available to Croydon Council-employeed care workers,.