Skills for Care launches 2022/23 Workforce Development Fund

The fund, which Skills for Care distributes on behalf of the Department of Health and Social Care, helped over 14,000 people in 2020/21 and is once again offering funding for a wide range of qualifications, learning programmes, and digital learning modules to support the development of adult social care staff at all levels across England.

Enhanced funding will continue to be available for the completion of leadership and management programmes.

According to Skills for Care, employers who accessed the fund in previous years were more able to ‘effectively meet the specialist or personalised needs of the people who receive their care and support, that the WDF has helped them to address skills gaps, and that staff morale has improved.’

Skills for Care CEO Oonagh Smyth said: “We are delighted to launch the Workforce Development Fund for 2022/23.

“We know from the insights included in our annual ‘State of the adult social care sector and workforce in England’ report released this month, that investing in learning and development is one factor which can contribute to better staff retention. Our data shows that if someone has 30 incidents of training or more, they have 10 per cent lower turnover – that because when we invest in developing our people, they feel more fulfilled and motivated in their role.

“Despite the pressures that we know people are under right now, last year we saw an increase in the proportion of staff with qualifications in social care which shows that employers are investing in their workforce at this crucial time and that people want to develop. The Workforce Development Fund is so important in supporting these opportunities.

“This year we’ll be continuing to provide enhanced funding for leadership and management training, which is key to building the leaders of the future who can continue to meet the growing and changing needs of those who draw on care and support.”