Workforce information for providers
Attracting, recruiting, and retaining workers
Proud to Care Oxfordshire
Proud to Care Oxfordshire has launched a new applicant support service in partnership with Care Friends and Oxfordshire Employment.
The new service aims to attract and support applicants while working with employers to match the right candidate to their jobs. As well as offering an innovative recruitment app, Care Friends also offers a free review of your advertising copy. Find out more by contacting p2capplicant.support@oxfordshire.gov.uk
The council is working closely with providers and the Oxfordshire Association of Care Providers to develop a local attraction, recruitment and retention plan for the social care provider market. The plan will guide the way the council invests in developing the market going forward.
As a social care worker, we want you to be involved in shaping our plan to attract, recruit and retain staff within the council and across our external providers. More details on how you can be involved will be available on this page soon.
Skills for Care Workforce Development Fund 2023
Care employers can claim up to £2,000 per staff member/learner in this year for specific social care qualifications and courses on the eligible list which include accredited certificates and diplomas as well as leadership programmes and Skills for Care Digital modules.
Employers in Berkshire, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire can apply in one of two ways:
- Through a local partnership – contact Liz Bailey berkshirewdf@outlook.com
- Directly to Skills for Care
Applying for the funding is easy – you need to sign a declaration form and update your ASC-WDS account If you don’t have an ASC-WDS account or haven’t accessed it in a while then help is available.
In Work Support
The council has provided funds, also administered by The Care Workers Charity, to provide support to social care staff experiencing sudden financial pressures. Grants can be made to cover large or unexpected bills, failure of domestic appliances, funeral costs or other sudden financial pressures. Grants are open to all employees in the social care sector who have been in post for more than three months.
New Starter Grants
Grants of up to £750 are available to support new (or returning) starters to social care. Grants can cover a range of costs to help staff prepare for work or to support cash flow in their first month.
Eligible expenses are:
- Travel costs to and from work
- Childcare costs (nursery, registered childminder, school wrap-around costs such as breakfast and after-school clubs)
- Deposits towards the purchase of a car
- Purchase of a bicycle to travel to and from work
- MOTs, car repairs
- Uniform dress code-related costs
- Training costs falling to the applicant
Once someone has an offer of employment, they can access these grants in the event they need financial help, by applying.