The European Social Fund (ESF) has awarded more than £1.74 million in grant funding to a two-year project in Cornwall providing training to those who work in social care. Match funding of £489,726 means the total project value is £2,230,126.
Led by Cornwall Care, project partners include Royal Cornwall Hospital Trust (RCHT), Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (CFT), Kernow Commissioning Group (KCCG), Cornwall Partners in Care (CPIC), Cornwall Adult Health and Social Care Learning Partnership (CAHSC), Cornwall Council and the Isles of Scilly Health and Care Partnership Academy.
Known as SCALE (Social Care Academy of Learning Excellence), the overall aim is to increase the skills of those who are working in the care sector locally. An analysis of training needs across the Cornwall & Isles of Scilly area will be followed up by bespoke provision delivered largely in the workplace by in-house trainers.
Vital topics like dementia care, fall prevention and management and supported independent living will be included.
As the lead organisation, Cornwall Care is responsible for governance, management and finance and Cornwall Care CEO Anne Thomas will chair the partnership board.
She said: “This is a tremendous opportunity to upskill social care staff throughout Cornwall and give them the professional expertise they need to progress their careers and personal aspirations.
“Our focus will be on identifying need and then training the trainers to build social care capacity across the county. Continuing professional development is an essential way of motivating and retaining staff and I’m delighted that our partnership approach has resulted in the award of this final tranche of ESF funding.
“It’s a significant milestone that will help ensure continuously high standards of community and residential care in Cornwall and that’s good news for us all.”
SCALE became operational on September 6 and funding is dependent on a series of quarterly targets being met. SCALE is one of a number of new ESF projects focusing on skills development in Cornwall during 2021-2023.
