Skills for Care have reviewed and updated the Manager Induction Standards to offer new and aspiring managers better support.
The Manager Induction Standards 2023 have been revised to better reflect the expectations of what a new manager in a care setting should be working towards within the first six months of starting their role.
Designed to help managers perform well in their role, the standards can be used as a “tool to assess development and provide information on what areas a potential or new manager needs to develop further,” explains Skills for Care.
The workforce development charity partnered with a range of organisations to redevelop the standards, ensuring they’re fit-for-purpose.
They also engaged with the adult social care sector, inviting managers and learning and development leads from across the industry to be involved in consultation sessions to help inform the development of the updated standards. Once they were in draft form, Skills for Care then sought further guidance from the sector, with over 100 social care employers and managers responding to a survey in late 2022. The resulting feedback was used to finalise the new Manager Induction Standards.
New Manager Induction Standards added
The updating process included changes to some of the existing standards and the addition of two new standards, namely:
This means there are now a total of 11 Manager Induction Standards, and each one includes subsections detailing specific knowledge areas. Some new sections which have been added as part of the revisions are:
- Leadership and management styles
- Market provision
- Health and safety
- Integrated approaches
- Recruitment and employment practices
- Conflict management
- Co-production
- Sexuality and relationships
- Relationships and community
- Health and wellbeing
- Creating change
- Personal wellbeing
Manager Induction Standards updated for changing priorities
The updates were in part necessitated by the significant changes that have taken place within the care sector in recent years. The Covid-19 pandemic, government policy changes, the new CQC inspection framework and Integrated Care Systems have all led to changing priorities. The updated Manager Induction Standards reflect these new areas of focus and aim to better prepare new and aspiring managers in care to operate effectively.
Skills for Care says that managers must “recognise their own responsibility in being aware of and responding to changes in the sector,” and that they “[…] need to ensure that they’re keeping up to date and horizon scanning for the latest changes that may impact their practice and their service.”
In particular, managers need to lead on the vision of an integrated health and social care service, and the new standards will support them to do this.
“Skills for Care is committed to ensuring that these standards reflect the expectations of new and aspiring managers in the sector and will continue to review and update them as needed.”
New and aspiring managers can work through the updated Manager Induction Standards by undertaking the also redeveloped Introductory Modules for Managers which have been shaped around them. You can find out more about these modules on Skills for Care’s website.
Training and support for managers in care
First Response Training (FRT) is a leading, national training provider.
They deliver over 7,000 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:
“There are currently around 23,500 CQC-registered managers in the adult social care sector in England. As the sector grows and evolves, new and aspiring managers require robust and appropriate support to ensure they can perform effectively in their role and deliver well-led services that offer safe, compassionate care to all those who need it.
“Learning and development – both as they commence a management role and throughout their time in such a position – is vital to ensuring that managers and their staff can continue to provide the services we need.”
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.