Page 44 - Unfair To Care 2024 - Who Cares Wins

SECTION 6: THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS
RECOGNISING A GAP IN THE TRAINING ALREADY IN PLACE IN THE SOCIAL CARE SECTOR, AND THE DIVERSE AND COMPLEX DUTIES REQUIRED OF A SUPPORT WORKER, COMMUNITY INTEGRATED CARE HAS DEVELOPED AN AWARD-WINNING LEARNING PATHWAY FOR FRONTLINE COLLEAGUES, CALLED GROW.
NATALIE POWELL, SENIOR CAPABILITY DEVELOPMENT MANAGER AT COMMUNITY INTEGRATED CARE SAYS:
“Alongside health care, social care is arguably one of the most important services a person will receive throughout their entire lives. Over the past decade, there’s been a sharp increase in the responsibility and accountability expected
of those working in the sector to support the wider health and social care system. And whilst we’ve seen this increase in technical skill and complexity in the role of a frontline support worker, we haven’t always seen the professional development or funding to support and recognise this.
Three years ago, we changed how we identify the skills, behaviours, and knowledge that our colleagues need. Through a more detailed analysis of their roles, we found clear evidence that they required a huge range of skills
– from providing clinical care to complex behavioural support. Existing training didn’t capture the scope of this, so we set out to create our own learning solution, GROW.
Through GROW we’ve established an astonishing 187 capabilities that our Support Workers need to provide high-quality, transformative support. This number is constantly changing, as we work with real people with diverse needs, their support teams and
families, as well as taking on new services and adapting to meet changing governance and regulation.
The level of skills required for this role show that the future workforce development plans for the sector have to be robust and reflect the true complexity of the job role.
What GROW solidified most for us was that social care is a highly professional and skilled career, and an integral part of the health and social care system. We know that if we’ve got skilled colleagues, we can keep people at home, out of hospital, and support them to live full, happy lives – filled with independence, opportunity, and meaningful relationships.
We need to see more investment so that providers can keep producing learning that evolves with the needs of people who work in and draw on our sector, and ensure that Support Workers get the professional recognition and respect they deserve.”
44