Skills for Care have launched new ‘Practical approaches toolkits’ to help support leaders and commissioners in adult social care.
The workforce development charity has developed the suite of practical approaches toolkits to provide leaders and commissioners in adult social care with guidance, tools and resources to support them to adopt proven workforce models and boost outcomes.
In essence, the toolkits demonstrate what’s really working in the sector and show other providers how they can apply it.
They support the implementation of effective approaches by providing clear, actionable insight into tackling some of the greatest challenges facing the adult social care workforce.
Practical approaches toolkits built around successful workforce models
Each toolkit has been designed around a successful workforce model, which is then broken down into the practical building blocks of planning, governance, digital tools, workforce development and impact measurement.
The practical approaches toolkits are:
- Neighbourhood-based block-pay – outlining how a pioneering new approach to homecare delivered high-quality care and helped to retain staff
- Retaining the next generation – setting out age-responsive support and apprenticeships to motivate young care workers to stay
- Empowering self-managing teams – exploring how a self-management model can successfully boost recruitment, retention, wellbeing and quality in homecare services
- Using data to strengthen workforce planning – explaining how a single platform can bring together health, care, population and workforce data to support strategic planning
- Ensuring providers have a voice at the table – revealing ways that care providers can influence Local Skills Improvement Plans
- Collaborating for careers in care – this outlines a partnership-led, centralised approach to connecting care employers with education, recruitment and training
- Building engagement with adult social care providers – explaining staff skills development can be tailored to employer needs while still securing longer-term engagement
- Centralising recruitment – exploring how centralised support can fast-track recruitment opportunities and refined onboarding and development
- Wellbeing champions – introducing the idea of a coordinated, peer-led wellbeing model to reduce stress while supporting a more resilient and engaged workforce
- Reaching the future workforce – setting out how combining central and satellite employment Hubs engaged new carers and connected them to adult social care employers
- Leveraging provider engagement in local skills – setting out meaningful events can align providers and partners on local skills priorities
Best practice examples shared in practical approaches toolkits
The practical approaches toolkits also include examples of best practice from adult social care providers that are strengthening recruitment, retention, capability and care quality through practical approaches that can be adapted to meet the needs of different settings.
Examples included in the practical approaches toolkits include:
- An organisation’s use of block-pay and delivering outcomes focused homecare in a concentrated neighbourhood
- A provider using a centralised induction and buddy system
- An organisation which has adopted reflective practice and coaching within self-managing teams
- A service providing tailored support to younger workers and those facing additional barriers
Practical approaches toolkits can help boost recruitment and retention
All of the practical approaches toolkits are designed to directly support the Workforce Strategy for Adult Social Care and are intended to help drive improvements across the sector.
Skills for Care’s Deputy CEO, Tristram Gardner, says the toolkits “give organisations a clear understanding of how successful workforce models have been developed and embedded.”
He added:
“By setting out practical steps and tested methods, they offer a useful resource for anyone looking to strengthen their workforce and improve outcomes for people who draw on care and support. Together, the toolkits provide evidence-informed learning to help organisations build capability, boost retention and enhance care quality across adult social care. We sincerely thank all the organisations who contributed by sharing their success stories.”
High quality training for the adult social care workforce
First Response Training (FRT) is a leading, national training provider.
They deliver over 6,000 courses each year in the fields of health and safety, first aid, fire safety, food safety, mental health, health and social care and other special focus topics.
Their diverse portfolio includes training awards designed for care workers, such as Infection Control and Prevention, Safeguarding Adults, Duty of Care, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, Person Centred Care and Support and many others.
Their course portfolio spans Care Certificate standards, mandatory training awards, clinical skills, special focus courses and higher level training for supervisors and managers.
A Trainer at FRT, says:
“The adult social care sector faces many challenges so its important that success stories are shared and celebrated and that providers are supported to replicate these successes to benefit the people they support.
“We hope Skills for Care’s new practical approaches toolkits really can help support managers, leaders and commissioners in care to drive change and improvement across the sector.
“This, in turn, should help providers to attract and retain the right people to provide high quality, compassionate care for all those who need it.”
For more information on the training provided by FRT, please call them on freephone 0800 310 2300 or send an e-mail to info@firstresponsetraining.com.