The contents of this website are under review, following the formation of a new HM Government.
Current information may be found at www.dh.gov.uk

Links Training

Here you will find short descriptions and links to a variety of online resources related to social care, including training, employment, general background links and local authority websites.

Click a section in the navigation bar above or on the links below.

-General
-Training
-Employment Issues
-Jobs
-Local Councils

Please note:
The Department of Health is not responsible for the contents or reliability of the linked websites and does not necessarily endorse the views expressed within them. Listing shall not be taken as endorsement of any kind. We cannot guarantee that these links will be active as we have no control over availability of linked pages.

Training

Children's Workforce Development Council (CWDC)

-www.cwdcouncil.org.uk/

CWDC is one of five bodies forming the UK Skills For Care and Development Sector Skills Council and coordinates the Children's Workforce Network. It aims to improve the lives of children and young people. It does this by ensuring that the people working with children have the best possible training, qualifications, support and advice. It will also help children and young people's organisations and services to work together so that the child is at the centre of all services.

General Social Care Council.

-www.gscc.org.uk
The General Social Care Council is the social care workforce regulator and guardian of standards for the social care workforce in England. They also provide information for social workers coming from overseas and offer a verification service which looks at the qualifications of people wishing to practise in England.

NHS Business Services Authority

-http://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/Students.aspx

The NHSBSA was established in 2006 to undertake a range of administration services for the NHS and social care bodies, including the NHS bursary scheme. In April 2007, the administration of the social work bursary scheme transferred from the General Social Care Council to the NHS Business Services Authority where it runs alongside the NHS bursary scheme.

National Extension College

-http://www.nec.ac.uk/care/

The National Extension College provides flexible learning materials, which can be used by colleges, independent trainers and employers in care homes, large care groups, hospitals and local authorities to support care training.

The National Skills Academy for Social Care

-http://www.skillsacademyforsocialcare.org.uk/

The National Skills Academy for Social Care is an employer-led organisation supporting training, development and career progression in adult social care in England. It is the first welfare-related Skills Academy in the National Skills Academy network. It will target learning support and training practice to the 1.5 million adult social care workers and 35,000 employers in England, with a particular emphasis on small and medium-sized organisations with limited training and development budgets. 

Information on social work training and regulation in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales

For Northern Ireland click on:
www.niscc.info
For Scotland click on:
www.sssc.uk.com
For Wales click on:
www.ccwales.org.uk

Skills for Care

-www.skillsforcare.org
Skills for Care works closely with and on behalf of social care employers to enhance the quality of staff and services in social care. The website contains information on the training strategy and the Common Induction Standards (CIS) for all staff which Skills for Care has developed.  The CIS provide a structured start for new care staff.

The Care Ambassador Scheme is a Skills for Care initiative. Care Ambassadors are qualified and experienced care workers who promote the image of social care and act as role models to inspire and encourage people of all ages to consider careers in the sector.  There are currently more than 40 projects and 1,000 Care Ambassadors throughout the country. Contact your regional Skills for Care office for local contacts.
http://www.skillsforcare.org.uk/regions/regions.aspx

The Social Work Education Participation (SWEP)

-http://www.socialworkeducation.org.uk/
The aim of this website is to share current practice around the participation of service users and carers in social work education

University and Colleges Admissions Service

-www.ucas.co.uk
Applications for degree courses are made through UCAS ( Universities and Colleges Admissions Service) The UCAS website contains lists of all the courses offered in any Further or Higher Education establishment in the UK, including social work, and you can search by type of course, region or by individual university.

Voluntary Sector Studies

-www.volstudy.ac.uk
If you are a volunteer or paid employee working in a caring environment in the voluntary sector, visit this website for information on a variety of educational courses that give you the flexibility to study in your own home and at your own pace.

Working for a Charity

-www.wfac.org.uk
Working For A Charity exists to promote the voluntary sector as a positive career option for those seeking paid employment and to promote the opportunities and benefits of becoming a volunteer to people who wish to do unpaid work.