1. Housing with Care and Support
Common challenges.

2. During our work we have heard from employers about some of the challenges they face with developing their workforce.

3. These include; Funding Lack of compulsion
Specialist services (requiring specialist training providers)
Limited culture of professionalism in some parts of the sector.

4. Group work; what do you see as the top challenges facing you
Group work; what do you see as the top challenges facing you? What do you see as the barriers to developing your workforce?

5. Can you identify; what is the barrier?
what can we do to overcome this?
what help do we need to do this and
from who?

6. Solutions Workforce Development Fund
a retrospective funding stream from the Department of Health distributed by Skills for Care
a finite pot of money which focuses on the achievement of qualification units and supports the ongoing professional development of staff across the adult social care sector within England
Possible solution for funding is WDF
Employers can use the WDF to make a significant contribution towards the costs of workers' completing health and social care qualifications and units, as well as university qualifications included in the Higher Apprenticeship in Care Leadership and Management. It can also be used to help fund the delivery of intermediate and advanced level Apprenticeships in social care.
To be eligible for WDF funding you must:
join an employer led partnership (if applicable)
comply with National Minimum Data Set for Social Care (NMDS-SC) requirements
have employees who are completing eligible qualification units

7. Solutions Workforce Development Innovation Fund
special funding stream within the Workforce Development Fund 
fund projects that are innovative in their approach to influencing workforce development in the longer term
People’s care and support needs change and the adult social care workforce in England has to adapt to meet the challenges that these changes can present.
The Workforce Development Innovation Fund (WDIF) is a special funding stream within the Workforce Development Fund (WDF). It aims to fund projects that are innovative in their approach to influencing workforce development in the longer term. It has a similar focus to WDF - on supporting ongoing professional development of staff through vocational qualifications by increasing skills and competence.
Applications for WDIF have now closed. Applicants will be notified as to whether their bid has been successful by the end of July 2015.

8. Solutions The Social Care Commitment
Culture
Dignity
Possible solution for lack of compulsion: because you want to provide a good service and to make a difference therefore you want to ensure you have a positive culture and your standards are high. To help you frame and form a foundation you may wish to use the following resources:
SCC
The Social Care Commitment is the sector’s promise to provide people who need care and support with high quality services. Employers and employees across the whole of the adult social care sector sign up to the commitment, pledging to improve the quality of the workforce.
It’s seen by the Department of Health as a key part of the solution to raising the standard of, and the public’s confidence in, care and support offered in our sector; with Minister of State for Community and Social Care Alistair Burt announcing recently that the commitment is "driving improvement in the care and support sector at a time when the need for a high quality workforce, fully equipped to meet the challenges of an ageing and diversifying pupulation, has never been greater."  
The commitment is made by signing up to seven ‘I will…’ statements and their supporting tasks. The tasks help workers and employers put the commitment into practice. It has been developed in consultation with those working in the sector, so it’s easy to do and will have a real practical impact in workplaces. The tasks that have to be done can also be used as evidence to complete the Care Certificate and adult social care qualifications. It can also be used as evidence for meeting Care Quality Commission standards. 
Culture
Positive workplace cultures are central to an organisation’s success or failure, and are never more important than when the service is providing people with care and support. Positive workplace cultures in social care not only address productivity and the health and wellbeing of staff, but also look to improve outcomes for those who need care and support services.
Skills for Care has developed the Culture for care: your toolkit for all social care and support employers, regardless of size or services delivered. 
The toolkit, which can be accessed online, or ordered in hard copy,  explains why a positive workplace culture is so important, details the business benefits for culture and provides activity sheets and scenarios to help providers embed a positive workplace culture.
Dignity
Dignity must be at the centre of everything we do if we are to achieve high quality, person-centred care and support.
Dignity focuses on the value of every person as an individual. It means respecting other’s views, choices and decisions, not making assumptions about how people want to be treated and working with care and compassion. 
Skills for Care has created the common core principles for dignity to support dignity in adult social care. These seven principles can be used to support good practice by any member of the workforce across difference settings. The principles focus on the key values, attitudes, skills and knowledge required to provide the best care possible.
The principles give the workforce, and those who employ and train them, clear guidance and practical tools for understanding how to place dignity at the very centre of quality care and support services

9. Solutions Dementia Mental Capacity Act (2005)
resources and qualifications
London & South East e-network
Mental Capacity Act (2005)
Possible solution for specialist services
Dementia
Skills for Care has developed a number of dementia resources and qualifications to support those who care for people with dementia, to provide good quality of life at every stage in their condition, allowing them remain active and engaged for as long as possible
Mental Capacity Act (MCA) 2005
Care workers must have an awareness of the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) 2005 and are legally required to have regard to the Code of Practice when acting in relation to a person who lacks, or who may lack, capacity.
Care workers must follow the legal safeguards in the MCA in order to support individuals to make decisions about their social care for themselves wherever possible and to know whether, and how, to make a decision on their behalf.
Mental Capacity Act training should equip workers with an understanding of both the requirements and spirit of a law that is designed to protect adults who are unable to make decisions for themselves.

10. Solutions Skills Selector
Possible solution for limited culture of professional qualifications:
Skills for Care has created the Skill Selector to help those working in social care get to grips with the qualifications and units available.
It is a simple step-by-step tool for building adult social care qualifications and identifying learning opportunities that are right for your organisation.
The interactive online tool can be used by learners, employers and learning providers.
Employers Employers can browse and sort qualifications, then tailor them to suit the needs of the business and the people using their services. Skill Selector provides a qualifications summary, allowing employers to print and discuss with employees and learning providers.

11. Solutions Endorsement Framework
Finding and choosing the right learning
Possible solution for supply side:
Endorsement Framework
The Skills for Care Endorsement Framework is a mark of quality for the adult social care sector.   
The recommendations of the Cavendish Review, Care Quality Commission Essential Standards and the Care Act, mean that excellence in training is more important than ever.  
Endorsement is about identifying and promoting high quality learning and development providers and programmes that are relevant and fit for purpose within the  sector.
The Skills for Care Endorsement Framework is for:
Training providers who want to show their commitment and contribution to improving the quality of adult social care
Employers who are looking for high quality and reputable learning and development providers.  

12. Local Links Locality Manager
London & South East L&D Provider’s Forum
London & South East Dementia e-network
London & South East Learning Provider’s Forum