Workforce information and support

The adult social care workforce strategy identifies many strategic priorities. These seek to overcome workforce challenges and ensure high quality and person-centred care for local people and families.

The current initiatives in place support adult social care providers. This is by building the capacity and quality of the workforce. Please read on to find out more about all the different offerings that currently exist.

Norfolk Care Careers is a website for Norfolk and Waveney adult social care jobs and careers. It is free for social care providers to sign up and advertise adult social care vacancies.

We are developing a comprehensive marketing plan including investment in:

• Search engine optimisation
• Social media campaigns
• Promotion using platforms including tv, radio and outdoor media
• Attendance at key events throughout the year

With this, we aim to drive traffic to the Norfolk Care Careers website and support awareness of careers in adult social care.

We also develop career case studies to promote careers in the sector.

Visit the Norfolk Care Careers website for further information.

For more information about advertising vacancies or sharing a case study please contact us at norfolkcarejobs@norfolk.gov.uk

Norfolk and Suffolk Care Support is an independent, not-for-profit company, established in 2002, dedicated to supporting the local adult social care sector. Contracted by Norfolk County Council to provide support to the adult social care market, with an emphasis on information, advice, guidance, training opportunities and recruitment support.

They provide information, advice, guidance and training via the Norfolk and Suffolk Care Support website, weekly e-bulletin and a printed newsletter, Norfolk Care News, twice a year. These ensure that the adult social care sector is aware of the latest news, developments, training opportunities and events.

They distribute funding for staff development via Skills for Care's Workforce Development Fund (WDF) which helps fund social care qualifications and other learning programmes.

View more about Care Academies.

The academies are free to attend and offer a week’s training based on the nationally recognised Care Certificate. The following week there is an online session of introductions and interview opportunities with local social care employers that have current vacancies. Care Academies support individuals to understand the wide range of opportunities available and provide the wrap around support to find the right career pathway.

Norfolk and Suffolk Care Support developed and deliver the academies on behalf of Norfolk County Council.

Find out more about Care Academies on the Norfolk and Suffolk Care Support website.

The nursing associate is a stand-alone role and can also provide a progression route into graduate level nursing. The nursing associate training programme provides a nursing pathway for both health and social care, strengthening opportunities to create a "home-grown" workforce. This enables care homes and home care providers to re-profile their workforce and support the development of their staff for the benefit of the service user, resident or patient. It is registered by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) and is a professional registered qualification.

The nursing associate is a highly trained support role to deliver effective, safe, and responsible nursing care in and across a wide range of health and care settings. Nursing associates work independently, and with others, under the leadership and direction of a registered nurse within defined parameters, to deliver care in line with an agreed plan. Nursing associates will have a breadth of knowledge and a flexible, portable skill set to serve local health populations, in a range of settings covering pre-life to end of life.

There two funding routes:

• Levy payment - the UEA, College of West Anglia and Open University accept levy payers. Norfolk and Suffolk Care Support have successfully obtained funding from Health Education England to cover the apprenticeship funding band.
• Non-levy payment - The UEA, College of West Anglia and Open University can also accept non-levy payers directly. Non-levy payers must make a 5% contribution (£750) towards the cost. However, Norfolk and Suffolk Care support have been successful in facilitating the transfer of levy payment to non-levy payers to allow access to this programme, saving the provider the 5% co-invest route.

Norfolk County Council also provide a fund to support £5000 per workers towards backfill costs.

Find out more about the role and how to access the funding.
 

Skills for Care is the strategic workforce development and planning body for adult social care in England. Their role is to understand the key drivers of workforce change, using insight, data and evidence.

They provide managers and those involved in the delivery of social care with:

• Guidance on best practice
• Tools and resources
• Intelligence to support workforce recruitment, capabilities, and culture

Visit the Skills for Care website for further information.

Contact the Skills for Care team via their contact us webpage.

2100 Care Friends licenses are available to the Norfolk adult social care market. These licenses are free of charge, on a first come first served basis for 12 months to assist with recruitment and retention.

To find out more visit the Care Friends website or watch the How Care Friends works video.

Contact Care Friends to register your interest. Inform them that you wish to take up the Norfolk County Council offer, and they will help guide you through the process.

The Blue Light Card offers discounts both on the high street and online on a range of items. This includes utilities and other essential household purchases. 

The card costs £4.99 and is valid for two years. Please note: the blue light card is currently only available to employees of CQC-registered organisations.

Adult Social Care workforce in Norfolk and Waveney can sign up free to get mental health and wellbeing support with the Shiny Mind App. For more information and to download the app visit www.shinymind.co.uk

Our Frontline also offers one-to-one confidential support from trained staff.

It also has a collection of resources, tips and ideas to support your mental health, such as:

• Norfolk and Suffolk Care Support useful wellbeing resources for staff
• Norfolk and Suffolk Care Support useful wellbeing resources for managers
• #WeCareTogether - Health and Wellbeing

Norfolk and Suffolk Foundation Trust (NSFT) staff support line offers wellbeing support. Visit the Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust website for more information

Best practice workshops

Over the past 12 months we have hosted online and face to face best practice workshops.

You can find more information about these workshops on the Norfolk Care Market events calendar.

We want to help you maintain a well-led, skilled, and valued adult social care workforce. To achieve this, it is important to keep your staff trained and up to date.

Find out more on the Skills and Development webpage.

Do you work in HR and support recruitment and retention in adult social care in Norfolk and Waveney?

We would like to invite you to an online Community of Practice of HR professionals.

This a confidential space to discuss and exchange best practice and support one another- providing an opportunity to build networks with peers.

*This is not a space to offer legal advice which should be sought independently where required.

See our events calendar for upcoming COP meeting dates.

International Recruitment - Community of Practice (COP)

The quarterly online COP is for the growing interest in international recruitment. It is one of the many ways to increase capacity in the adult social care workforce.

The COP aims to bring together adult social care providers in Norfolk with international recruitment. This enables a platform for best practice, the sharing of information and collaboration.

See our events calendar for the upcoming COP meeting dates.

International Recruitment System Hub - supportive offer

We developed a supportive recruitment offer to assist with recruiting international care workers and nursing staff. The service is free of charge.

To find out more contact us at norfolkcarejobs@norfolk.gov.uk

International Recruitment - eastern region offer

Norfolk is the Lead Authority for the approved application for £2.4m from the Department of Health and Social Care. On behalf of the Eastern Region, Norfolk is to establish a Centre of Excellence to further support the market with International Recruitment.

There is a dedicated programme of support available. View more information on our International Recruitment East hub. 

For any questions, please email: internationalrecruitmenteast@norfolk.gov.uk