Skills for Care Up-dates

Skills for Care updates for Oxfordshire providers:

  1. Join the Oxfordshire Registered Managers network
  2. Skills for Care launches the new Training Hub – a new training platform
  3. Adult Social Care Workforce Data Set (ASC-WDS) & Learning and Development Support Scheme (LDSS) – webinar 6th August
  4. Subscribe to the free Skills for Care newsletter

Join the Oxfordshire Registered Managers network

The Skills for Care Oxfordshire registered managers network is free to attend for RMs and deputy managers of all care provider services in Oxfordshire. We meet face to face and online 3-4 times per year and we have a whatsapp group where managers can stay connected at all times. Our next meeting will be online on 16th September and full details of how to book will be sent to all members. We are currently working on the agenda. If you are an RM or DM and would like to join please fill out this form. OxfordshireRegistered Managers Network Request to join the email list and Whatsapp group – Fill in form If you have any queries please contact rachel.reid@skillsforcare.org.uk

The Training Hub by Skills for Care – An Opportunity for Your Team

Skills for Care has recently launched The Training Hub, a new training platform developed specifically for adult social care and shaped by feedback from care leaders across the sector.

The Training Hub has been designed to help you meet regulatory requirements, support workforce development and strengthen the quality of care within your service. All courses are developed by Skills for Care and aligned to current and emerging sector standards. Training starts from £9 per course, and every penny of profit is reinvested back into supporting adult social care.

For over 25 years, Skills for Care has worked alongside government, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and care providers to help define what good and outstanding care looks like, including developing the Care Certificate and contributing to workforce standards used across the sector.

Training is delivered through an award-winning learning management platform designed to meet the needs of different learners and learning styles.

Exclusive Discount for ASC-WDS Account Holders

If your organisation has an Adult Social Care Workforce Data Set (ASC-WDS) account, you can benefit from a 10% discount on all e-learning courses, making this an even more cost-effective way to support staff learning and development.

What's Available Now?

The Training Hub currently offers 14 bite-sized eLearning courses across three key areas.

Statutory and Mandatory Training

These modules cover essential topics relevant to all care staff:

  • Difficult Conversations – Helps your staff understand what makes conversations difficult and develop the confidence to manage sensitive discussions using empathy, preparation and effective communication.
  • Falls Prevention Awareness – Supports staff to recognise common falls risks and understand how to reduce them, respond appropriately when someone falls, and accurately report incidents.
  • Frailty Awareness – Helps staff recognise frailty and identify early signs of deterioration, supporting independence and helping prevent avoidable hospital admissions.
  • Introduction to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) – Builds understanding of protected characteristics, discrimination and inclusive practice, helping create safer and more respectful care environments.
  • Introduction to Infection Prevention and Control – Covers infection transmission, hand hygiene, PPE, risk assessment and outbreak management to help protect people who draw on care and support.
  • Mental Capacity Act Awareness – Explores the five statutory principles of the Mental Capacity Act, capacity assessments and best-interest decision-making.
  • Mental Health Awareness – Helps staff recognise signs of mental health challenges and understand when and how to seek further support.
  • Principles of Care Planning – Supports staff to develop personalised, strengths-based care plans that promote dignity, independence and meaningful outcomes.
  • Principles of Person-Centred Care – Reinforces the values and behaviours needed to ensure people remain at the centre of all care and support decisions.
  • Principles of Record Keeping – Provides guidance on producing accurate, factual and person-centred records while maintaining confidentiality and compliance.
  • Enhanced Care
  • Dementia (Tier 1) Introduction – Gives staff a better understanding of dementia, communication approaches and dementia-friendly practice.
  • Introduction to End of Life Care – Helps staff recognise when someone may be approaching the end of life and provide compassionate, dignified support to both individuals and their families.
  • Leadership and Management
  • Coaching – Supports staff and leaders to develop coaching skills that promote confidence, independence and problem-solving using practical tools such as the GROW model.
  • Mentoring – Provides practical approaches for supporting colleagues through mentoring conversations, knowledge sharing and reflective learning.
  • Introductory modules for managers - These modules, based on the Manager Induction Standards, offer an engaging introduction to key topic areas including leading and managing in adult social care, supporting and developing teams, making decisions and effective communication. They provide opportunities to reflect and ideas to improve practices. – for these modules only you can also claim £40 per module via Learning and Development Support Scheme (LDSS)

Coming Soon

Additional courses are due to be launched over the summer, including Health and Safety modules covering key health and safety requirements for adult social care .

Why Not Take a Look?

www.skillsforcare.org.uk/thetraininghub

Adult Social Care Workforce Data Set (ASC-WDS) & Learning and Development Support Scheme (LDSS) – webinar 6th August

❓Would you like to claim funding for learning and development for your team?

❓Would you like to understand the recruitment and retention trends and gaps for your organisation better?

If so please come along to this webinar to find out more.....

🗓️ 6th August 2-3.15pm

🖥️ Online via MS Teams

🔗BOOK NOW: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/e/WdmJww33tV

An informal demo and information sharing about the Adult social care workforce data set (ASC-WDS) and Learning and development support scheme (LDSS) funding for 26/27.

The Adult Social Care Workforce Data Set (ASC-WDS) helps providers to manage their workforce data and provides crucial intelligence to key decision makers such as Government, DHSC, CQC and local authorities. It also gives employers access to safe and free management of staff and training records and the ability to benchmark your workplace against similar providers. More information about ASC-WDS can be found here: https://www.skillsforcare.org.uk/Adult-Social-Care-Workforce-Data/Adult-Social-Care-Workforce-Data.aspx

The Adult Social Care Learning and Development Support Scheme (LDSS) from the DHSC is providing funding to support learning and development for ‘non-regulated care staff’, including deputy and Care Quality Commission (CQC)-registered managers and agency staff, in England for financial year 2026 to 2027. Eligible ASC employers can claim funding for specified training courses and qualifications (including Oliver McGowan mandatory training tier 1 and 2) on behalf of eligible care staff. Full information can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/adult-social-care-learning-and-development-support-scheme

Having an up to date ASC-WDS account is a condition of the LDSS funding.

If you are interested to know more about ASC-WDS, are planning to update your account, haven’t looked at it for a while or want to claim the Learning and Development Support Scheme funding then this is the session for you! Come along to have a live guided tour and hear all about the many benefits and ask any questions. The session will be hosted by Rachel Reid, Pip Dorkings and Mike Bailey - Skills for Care locality Managers in the London and Southeast Team. This is a local session for providers across London and the South East.

❗In the meantime - Quick links for ASC-WDS:

To set up your free ASC-WDS account – CLICK HERE: https://asc-wds.skillsforcare.org.uk/registration/create-account

To log in to your existing ASC-WDS account – CLICK HERE: https://asc-wds.skillsforcare.org.uk/login

General information about ASC-WDS can be found HERE: https://www.skillsforcare.org.uk/Adult-Social-Care-Workforce-Data/Adult-Social-Care-Workforce-Data-Set/Adult-Social-Care-Workforce-Data-Set.aspx

For any queries contact:

Rachel Reid

Skills for Care Locality manager – Berkshire, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire

Rachel.reid@skillsforcare.org.uk


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