Our key aims

How we will achieve this aim

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

What we achieved in 2022

• 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

How we will measure that we have achieved this aim

• 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

Impact

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:

• "I am proud to care in Norfolk"
• "I am a care professional"
• "I have the skills and confidence to deliver high quality care"
• "I feel able to add value to the service that I work in"