The Partnership encourages, supports and develops the skills of workers in the local social care sector.
Aims and Objectives
The broad aim of the SCWDP is to improve the quality and management of social services provision through a planned approach to learning and development and by seeking to increase the take-up of training across the social care sector.
The objectives of the SCWDP in 2021-22 are:
- To ensure that staff across all partner organisations (please see list of those organisations that must be included in the plan) engaged in duties delivered under the Social Services and Well-Being (Wales) Act have the knowledge, skills and competencies to operate under the framework and that the necessary cultural changes are driven forward. Local and regional delivery will need to draw upon the learning and development programme being prepared by Social Care Wales.
- Work with partners across the care sectors to ensure workforce development initiatives are prioritised and targeted appropriately to meet needs
- To commission learning and development activities and facilitate opportunities to provide links to meet the workforce development needs through.Annual programme of face to face training
- The development of flexible training delivery methods
- New qualifications
- Qualifying, post qualifying and PRTL opportunities for social workers and the registered workforce.
- Ensure that all core learning and development, including induction and qualification training, is reframed to reflect the new legal framework
- To continue the current support for Social Work training in Wales
- To support skills for frontline social care workers
- To support the infrastructure for learning and development across Wales, including local and regional partnership and joint working.
Membership
Membership is open to and includes all contracted providers of social care services within Rhondda Cynon Taf, whether statutory, independent or voluntary. Service users and carers are an important part of the partnership, as are education and training providers. The Social Care Workforce Development Partnership also works hand-in-hand with health care providers under the umbrella of the Local Health Board. An Executive Group coordinates the work of the partnership.
What does the Social Care Workforce Development Partnership do?
- Workforce Information/ Training Needs Analysis. The Partnership gathers information about the local social care workforce and completes training analyses annually to help plan and commission training to meet those needs
- Collects and Collates workforce data on behalf of Social Care Wales.
- Workforce Development. The current Schedule of Training events is available can be found on The Source. Calendars are sent to all internal and external partners.
- Support. We aim to support employers with training, continuous professional development and workforce matters.
- Workshops. Whole partnership workshops are arranged periodically to share information and experience of relevant topics.
- Resources. A library of training resources is available to partnership members.
- Routes into Employment. In partnership with Coleg Y Cymoedd, a 16-19 (plus) Care Pathway Programme is operating. This pathway provides youngsters with a clear route into a career in the care sector. Careers in Care are also being highlighted at local schools, in partnership with Careers Wales. This is currently delayed due to Covid.
- The Social Services and Well Being (Wales) Act. The Social Services and Well-being (Wales) 2014. The Act provides the legal framework for improving the well-being of people who need care and support, and carers who need support, and for transforming social services in Wales. The Social Care Wales have produced a variety of really helpful information and training materials for all to use.
- There is also information on the Regulation and Inspection of Social Care Wales Act 2016 these can be found on the “Learning Hub” along with other information relating to work during Covid. You can easily download these and use them for yourself or your staff in meetings and supervision sessions. We recommend you take a look at: https://socialcare.wales/resources-guidance
Useful Links
Social Care Wales:
- Set standards for the care and support of the workforce, making them accountable for their work
- Develop the workforce so they have the knowledge and skills to protect, empower and support those who need help
- Work with others to improve services for areas agreed as a national priority
- Share good practice with the workforce so they can provide the best response
- Set priorities for research to get evidence of what works well
- Provide information for the public and other organisations.
Interlink is Rhondda Cynon Taff’s umbrella group for the voluntary sector and they organise a programme of training.
Age UK (formed by the merger of Help the Aged and Age Concern) has a website called My Home Life which publishes free staff development and other materials.
Dewis Centre for Independent Living provides a calendar of training events, including disability equality training and courses in various aspects of care.
There are good quality training courses free on line at Social Care TV.
There is an extensive list of available training resources published by the Social Care Institute for Excellence.
Contact Us
Contact your Social Care Workforce Development Partnership Team on: