The Government has released a long-term plan
to help unemployed young people into social care traineeships. The
scheme, back by £75 million from the Department of Work and
Pensions, aims to target fifty thousand long term unemployed people
and get them into social care roles. It is planned that employers
will receive a £1,500 subsidy to take on social care trainees aged
between 18 and 24.
In addition, this new strategy aims to increase the number of
available apprenticeships in social care by 1,300, and looks to
establish a new National Management Trainee Scheme that will
encourage graduates and executives into the social care arena.
The government is also trying to increase the status of social
care by developing further social care awards that recognise
the hard work and efforts of all those involved.
Speaking at the recent ADSS Seminar, Phil Hope, Care Services
Minister said:
'We want to encourage a new generation into social care -
helping more of them make a difference in their communities, by
taking on rewarding roles. This will bring new talent and skills to
social care and fill the vacancies that have grown as the sector
has expanded.
'This new Strategy will help to raise the status of social care
careers, enable workers to provide more person centred care, lift
standards and encourage more people to consider work in this
sector.
'Once we recruit people, we must do everything we can to keep
and grow new talent. I hope the new apprenticeships will go a long
way to doing this.
'This strategy only sets the framework. We will work with
employers, local authorities, professional social care bodies and
skills agencies to make it a reality and create a workforce that
has pride in itself, is respected by the public and supported to
deliver high quality, personalised services well into the
future.'