Our key aims

Sustainable high quality workforce

A workforce that is well trained and supported, with opportunities for a great career in social care

We will achieve this aim by:

We will continue to commission Norfolk and Suffolk care support (NSCS) to provide access to training for the social care workforce
Development and delivery of plans in alignment with the Norfolk and Waveney adult social care workforce strategy
Ensuring training offers are aligned to the skills for care code of conduct which sets the standard expected of all adult social care workers and healthcare support workers in England. Outlining the behaviours and attitudes that people who need care and support should rightly expect.
Sharing and developing best practice guidance from the quality strategy programme
Enabling further join up opportunities between health and social care
Supporting access to training and mentoring opportunities, including training specifically for providers who want to deliver services to people with a learning disability and/or autism
Supporting access to specific leadership training programmes
Commissioning local recruitment campaigns and initiatives to attract new staff to the sector
Focusing on best practice and retention of staff
Working with Norfolk care association (NorCA) and NSCS to implement a care worker job evaluation framework for the sector
Co-producing an ethical framework for Norfolk
Working with eastern region councils to develop a centre of excellence for international recruitment and the support offer

Developed and delivered a multi-channel local recruitment campaign, including maintaining support via the Norfolk care careers brand
Supported providers with best practice recruitment workshops, including one to one consultancy and the purchase of care friends licences
Encouragement and financing of the blue light card rewards programme for staff working in the social care sector
Commissioned a talent pipeline called earn as you learn, linking local students to flexible work opportunities
Established a community of practice for international recruitment in recognition of the growing interest of providers in this talent pipeline
Building on the legacy of developing skills in health and social care (DSHSC) to ensure there is a range of high quality and relevant training, skills development and mentoring opportunities for the workforce.
Created opportunities for link up with health via the Norfolk and Waveney integrated care board (ICB). Such as events and links to international recruitment support.
Secured government funding to deliver an eastern region centre of excellence during 2023 to support safe and effective international recruitment

We need to maintain sufficiency of provision, providing regular activity for people with a learning disability and/or autism, across residential, supported living and domiciliary care
There will be an improvement in the care quality commission (CQC) ratings of services through staff being supported to achieve the skills and competencies required to deliver good quality care and support
Monitoring engagement with training and mentoring and by asking participants what the impact has been on their skills development and the quality of care they deliver
Training and qualification expectations will be more explicit within service specifications
Engagement with the workforce directly
Monitor take-up of the evaluation framework amongst providers
Recruitment campaign indicators
Skills for care reported vacancy rates
Reporting of interim care levels, which indicates the extent that people are waiting for the right longer-term care needs to be met

People receiving support will tell us:

"I am supported by people who listen carefully, so that they know what matters to me and how to support me to live the life I want"
"I have considerate support delivered by competent, well-trained people"

People working in the sector will say: