Homecare Sector Welcomes New Skills Academy For Social Care, UK

The homecare sector's professional association, UKHCA, has applauded government's decision to give national recognition to the training and development needs of the social care workforce by establishing a new national Skills Academy for social care. The Academy will work with employers across the social care sector to establish programmes for learning, leadership, training accreditation, career development and recruitment.


Lesley Rimmer, Chief Executive of UKHCA, who has been involved in the steering group for the Skills Academy bid, said:


"A Skills Academy for social care is vital given the increased significance of social care in policy and the contribution it makes to people's everyday lives. UKHCA has repeatedly called on the government to put more emphasis and commitment into the needs of the social care workforce and in creating a Skills Academy for our sector the government has clearly recognised the case for support."


She continued:


"35,000 different employers, many of whom are small and medium enterprises in the independent sector, deliver social care each and every day. It is vital that the Academy focuses in on the management and leadership skills employers need and raises understanding of the career opportunities that social care can provide."


Notes


1. The United Kingdom Homecare Association (UKHCA) is the professional association for more than 1,600 domiciliary care providers in Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The mission of UKHCA is to represent its members and to promote and support the sustainable provision of high standard homecare.


2. UKHCA represents 33% of independent and voluntary sector providers across the UK. Its member organisations are estimated to provide 1.7 million hours of care each week, valued at ??1.08 billion per year, and delivered to 115,000 service users at any one time.


3. UKHCA has a vetting procedure for its members, all of whom agree to abide by the Association's Code of Practice, which can be found at ukhca.co.uk/codeofpractice.aspx.


4. Homecare is the provision of personal social care services to people in their own homes. For many, homecare is the alternative of choice for people who would otherwise need to move into residential accommodation.


5. The majority of homecare is funded by the state (usually by local council social services departments or through a Primary Care Trust), but are largely delivered by independent and voluntary sector providers.


6. The announcement on 7 October 2008 by John Denham, Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, is to establish a National Skills Academy for Social Care as an independent organisation on 30 March 2009. This will be the first welfare-related skills academy and will target training and development support to the 1.5 million people working in social care. Further details are available at: skillsacademyforsocialcare.uk


7. High resolution royalty-free images are available of the following, who is quoted in this release:
Lesley Rimmer OBE


8. UKHCA's website can be found at ukhca.co.uk.


UKHCA