Applications for Workforce Development Funding are now open

We are delighted to report for the third year running Care & Support West has been awarded £70,000 to dispense via Care and Support West WDF Partnership. We will be your main access to the Workforce Development Fund 2023/24 for the South West (primarily Bristol, North Somerset, and South Gloucestershire).

“Everyone needs training to do their job effectively. It helps care staff to understand why they are asked to do things in a certain way. That all comes through the learning that equips them with the skills and expertise required. The support from the council partnership has been fantastic and nothing is too much trouble. The process has been very easy.” Read the full case study from Thorndene Residential Care Home here.

Karen Holley will be your main point of contact at Care and Support West and her role is to help you to access and claim funding. Enquire now on the link below to request further information and an application pack.

WHAT CAN BE FUNDED?

You can claim up to £2,000 per learner per funding year through Workforce Development Fund. You can claim funding for the same learner in multiple funding years, to support their personal development and career progression.

Claim funding towards the cost of listed qualifications, learning programmes and digital learning modules completed between 1 January 2023 and the 29 March 2024. This includes money towards the cost of course fees (or employer contributions) and associated costs such as employees’ salaries whilst they are undertaking training, coaching and mentoring costs, venue costs for the training or wage replacement costs.

Find out which qualifications, learning programmes and digital learning modules can be funded through Worforce Development Fund here.

For more information about Skills for Care Funding for training here.

Example courses that can be funded by the WDF

• Digital learning for managers - Skills for Care

• Preparing for CQC inspection - Skills for Care

• Learning programmes - Skills for Care

• Become a Mental Health First Aider (Online Course) - MHFA England

 Explore the full list of eligible courses here.

Eligibility criteria

1. Training must be within the qualifying list and accredited by a qualifying body.

2. You can access the Declaration Form below. It is a PDF so you will need to print, complete and either scan to e-mail or post back to Karen. Please note you are classed as a ‘Member’ of the partnership: Our official name is the Care & Support West WDF Partnership

3. Entering data into the new ASC-WDS database (replacing NMDS) is a crucial part of qualifying for funding. Users report that the new system is more user friendly and easier than NMDS. Skills for Care are also trying to improve the advantages to providers of using the data set. The new Training and Qualifications section enables you to:

• access a summary view of your staff’s training and qualifications

• quickly identify which staff have training that has expired or will soon expire

• access each staff member’s training and qualifications record, add and edit data

• update staff training.

Once you register with the ASC WDS, you will get a reference number that you use in your Declaration and any Claim Submissions.

Funded by Department of heath and social care in association with:

Care & Support West WDF Partnership