Scrapping of Adult Social Care Training Fund

Stephen Kinnock, Minister of State for Care

Introduction

The new Labour government has announced the cancellation of a planned increase in funding for adult social care training, a decision that has sparked criticism from sector leaders. This comes shortly after the abandonment of a proposed cap on care costs, highlighting the current administration's shift in priorities.

Details of the Funding Cut

·        Culled Fund: The adult social care training and development fund, announced by the previous Conservative government, was intended to provide £53.9 million to train up to 37,000 care staff in the new level 2 care certificate from June 2024 to March 2025.

·        Supplementary Funding: The Conservatives had also planned additional resources for the continuing professional development (CPD) of regulated professionals, though the specifics were not confirmed.

·        Current Funding Levels: Care Minister Stephen Kinnock stated that funding for adult social care training would revert to 2023-24 levels, approximately £11 million annually, traditionally allocated through the workforce development fund.

Government's Ongoing Commitments

·        Care Workforce Pathway: Continued development of the new career structure for care staff.

·        Level 2 Care Certificate: Maintenance of the certification program.

·        Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training: Ongoing support for training related to learning disabilities and autism, fulfilling statutory requirements for Care Quality Commission-regulated providers.

Reactions from Sector Leaders

·        Skills for Care: Chief Executive Oonagh Smyth expressed disappointment, noting the importance of access to quality learning and development for retaining skilled staff. Smyth emphasised the commitment to support the government in ensuring continued funding for the sector.

·        Association of Directors of Adult Social Services: President Melanie Williams criticised the timing of the announcement, given the recent release of a national care workforce strategy that highlighted the importance of training. Williams underscored the frustration felt by providers relying on the fund for retention initiatives.

·        Sector Concerns: Leaders highlighted the "bad optics" of the decision and the potential negative impact on workforce retention and recruitment, particularly in an already underpaid and undertrained sector.

Implications for the Sector

1.        Training and Development: The cancellation of the fund may hinder efforts to upskill the workforce, potentially affecting the quality of care provided.

2.        Workforce Retention: Reduced funding for training could exacerbate existing challenges in retaining staff, as access to development opportunities is linked to job satisfaction and retention.

3.        Provider Challenges: Different providers utilised the fund in various ways to improve retention, making the true impact of its removal difficult to measure but likely significant.

Conclusion

The Labour government's decision to scrap the planned increase in adult social care training funding has been met with significant disappointment and concern from sector leaders. While the continuation of certain initiatives like the care certificate and mandatory training is positive, the reduction in overall funding could undermine efforts to attract and retain a skilled workforce, crucial for meeting the growing demands of an aging population.

The ability to source cost-effective, high quality social care training has become even more important in this period of uncertainty around medium and long-term funding decisions.