Introducing “Step into Social Care”
Thank you to everyone who attended our event. We hope you found it useful. If you would like to view a recording of the webinar you can do so below.
Q&A section
Have young people been involved in the consultation and development?
Yes, young people have been involved, predominantly at Harlow College. A number of sessions were run in person and remotely to understand the students lived experiences, who were struggling to enter the social care sector and were feeling like they were being told differing information about how to get in. The students shaped what the programme is as well as the branding with their feedback, as well as shaping our own thinking.
How do we encourage students to see social care as the sector of choice, particularly at graduate level?
There’s a lot of work for the employers to do within this sector to help students understand the sector and the career pathways within it. There are too many misconceptions about the sector. There is a big need to overcome perceptions and to show what it is actually like working in these roles. Getting students in early can help with this. We want to show how rewarding it can be to work in the sector, as well as encourage learning life skills that could help anywhere.
How do I add job vacancies to Step into Social Care?
You will find a link to the job board, Care and Support Jobs, on the website www.stepintosocialcare.co.uk. It is free of charge for any care employer to sign-up to advertise positions. Once you’ve created a profile, you can put up your vacancies and add the Step into Social Care badge to make it easy to find.
How can care employers overcome difficulties with retention and support for experiential candidates?
There is a key need to provide support for students and young people during the early period of their experience. Take a long term view with these workers; what you put in is what you’ll get out.
Are CQC supportive of initiatives like this?
The CQC, on inspection, are always interested in best practice and ways that the sector can help with recruitment and workforce challenges. Whatever you are doing to try and alleviate the issues that are prominent in the sector, you should share with them.
Useful links
We have collated a list of links that you may find useful:
Step into Social Care Website
The website is now live for you to join the scheme.
LinkedIn Group
We encourage all of you to continue to share and learn by joining our Social Care Recruitment group on LinkedIn
Cohesion Social Care LinkedIn Group
Recruitment requirements
If you would like to discuss any aspects of the recruitment solutions offered by Cohesion, then please contact Amanda Marques 07753 871926
The Social Care Retention Crisis – our next event
This event is a great introduction to the Care Character process, as well as issues affecting the industry, and is taking place on the 4th October.
The Social Care Retention Crisis
The Prince’s Trust
One of our partners, The Prince’s Trust is a youth charity that helps young people aged 11 to 30 get into jobs, education and training. You can get support with recruitment by filling out the linked form.
Contact Information
If you would like to talk to any of our speakers, you can contact them here:
Amanda Marques: amanda.marques@cohesionrecruitment.com
Adam Winterton: adam@dawsonwalker.co.uk
Stephen Isherwood: stephen@ise.org.uk
Rebecca Hicklin: rebecca.hicklin@princes-trust.org.uk
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