The 2024 registration process for the Social Care Workforce Race Equality Standard (SC-WRES) Improvement Programme has officially opened.
Heralded as a “powerful tool” for helping to achieve race equality in care, the SC-WRES Improvement Programme supports local authorities to address race inequalities in the care workforce by requiring them to record and submit annual data based on metrics made up of nine indicators.
These indicators measure the experiences of people from minoritised ethnic backgrounds, which in turn helps to support the accountability of social care organisations in relation to fostering an equitable workplace environment.
The findings can be utilised to build action plans to support organisational change and achieve race equality in care workplaces.
Statistics show changes needed to achieve race equality in care
The SC-WRES Improvement Programme is described by Skills for Care as an “important platform,” since statistics show that, while around a quarter (26%) of the adult social care workforce is made up of individuals from Black, Asian or minoritised ethnic backgrounds, managerial roles remain dominated by non-representative demographics.
Currently, Black, Asian and minoritised ethnic workers make up just 17% of registered manager roles and 17% of senior management roles in adult social care.
Data submitted by local authorities to the SC-WRES Improvement Programme is also used to produce a national annual report offering an anonymised overview of race equality in care and progress within the sector.
Skills for Care explains that it is designed to be a long-term process, with new practices embedded into everyday behaviour and “changes monitored year on year.”
Improvement programme supports providers achieve race equality in care
Local authorities who are interested in becoming part of the changes needed are urged to register by 30th June 2024 so that they can take full advantage of the regular community of practice support sessions, which are held throughout July and August.
Registration for the SC-WRES Improvement Programme 2024 is free for local authorities, as it is being fully funded by Skills for Care.
Their Head of Culture and Diversity, Fiona Murphy, explains:
“We’re proud to be funding the SC-WRES Improvement Programme for the year ahead. SC-WRES is a powerful tool in achieving meaningful and sustainable organisational change towards ace equality and telling the story nationally through the SC-WRES annual report.”
Further information on the Improvement Programme, and how local authorities can book their places on an information and registration session is provided at the dedicated SC-WRES webpage.
Equality, diversity and inclusion in the workplace
First Response Training (FRT) is one of the UK’s largest and leading national training providers.
They deliver a wide and diverse range of training for businesses and organisations across all industry sectors and throughout the UK. Their course range includes training in the fields of health and safety, first aid, fire safety, manual handling, mental health, food safety, health and social care and more.
Their training is mapped to current UK standards and legislation and follows relevant industry guidelines, such as those issued by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), Skills for care, the Care Quality Commission and the Resuscitation Council UK.
It includes training awards in Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, as well as many more subjects.
Based on a common sense, proportionate approach, training helps learners to understand the true benefits of creating a healthy, safe and inclusive environment at work but also underlines how it must go beyond training to ensure a full organisational approach and culture.
A trainer from FRT explains:
“Race equality in care is a vital issue. A diverse adult social care workforce is well placed to provide high-quality, compassionate and pperson-centred care to a diverse population of people with care and support needs. The social care sector needs to embrace diversity and ensure that workplace cultures are truly inclusive.
“Registering for free for the Social Care Workforce Race Equality Standard Improvement Programme is a positive step forward to developing these workplaces and ensuring that the care workforce is representative of the people it cares for at all levels.”
For more information on any of the training courses that FRT can provide, please call them today on freephone 0800 310 2300 or e-mail info@firstresponsetraining.com.