In-house training

Statutory and voluntary sectors

Carers Scotland can assist you in addressing the key themes, recommendations and policy objectives from Professor David Kerr’s Report on the future of NHS Scotland, Care 21 and the Strategy for the Development of the Social Service Workforce, by developing and facilitating in-house training for your staff proving in many cases to be more convenient and cost effective.

"…. this research highlights a need for carer awareness training as a fundamental and essential part of health and social care staff training. The agencies responsible for professional training and continuing professional development (i.e. sector skills councils, local authorities, health) should target carer awareness training at a broader range of staff (especially housing staff, leisure, lifelong learning planning teams)". (Source: Care 21: The future of unpaid care in Scotland: Headline report and recommendations)

Outlined below are samples of the training courses that can be developed and tailored to your organisational requirements. In addition, the courses can also be delivered on a joint local approach.

• carer awareness training
• a training programme to facilitate effective partnership working and carer involvement
• a training programme to include benefits, carer assessments, legislation, mental health and young carers.

".. recommend that all front-line staff with direct responsibilities for supporting the needs of carers in ‘first contact’ agencies (local authorities, health and voluntary organisations) are properly equipped to advise unpaid carers about their rights, entitlements and available services". (Source: Care 21: The future of unpaid care in Scotland: Headline report and recommendations)

All our courses are available in-house, and can be tailored to specific policy or organisational contexts to meet your own training needs e.g. at a policy level, you may want to examine your own systems and procedures. At a practice level, you may want participants to use relevant case studies.

Private Sector Employers

The Scottish Community Care Statistics published by the Scottish Executive in 2001 shows that 1 in 8 of the British workforce has a caring responsibility at home and the pressures imposed by this can impact on their jobs. Private sector employers can benefit from in-house training developed to help them identify and assess the implications of carers within their workforce. Promoting equal opportunities practice, work-life balance and family friendly policies and practices will assist employers in supporting carers, while retaining valuable employees.

We can also develop new courses in conjunction with your organisation or authority applying a maximum of 20 participants to each session. For further information about our in-house services, we will be pleased to discuss your training needs and can be contacted on 0141 221 9141, Fax: 0141 221 9140 or email: training@carerscotland.org