Scheme will attract new blood into the sector
A leading Scottish care provider has launched a scheme to give care experienced young people and armed forces veterans the opportunity to work in the care sector.
[email protected], part of Hamilton-based social business the Love group, has launched its innovative Vocational Care Pathway, giving care experienced young people and veterans across Scotland the chance to work in the care sector.
This scheme explores a way to tackle the high demand for care workers in Scotland while supporting young people who either in or leaving care into employment.
With people living longer, and an expansion in early learning and childcare, there is a higher demand for people to work in care in order to tackle the sector’s current understaffing crisis.
Currently, the number of vacancies in the care sector is growing, with the latest data from the Care Inspectorate indicating that 38% of services reported having vacancies, up 2y% on the previous year.
In addition, 45% of services with vacancies reporting problems filling them.
Lynn Bell, chief executive of the Love group, said: “We are operating in a sector with a major disparity between number of care workers and the demand for those services. At the same time, we provide support to care experienced young people and veterans through other programmes we organise.
“Marrying up care experienced young adults and veterans with employment opportunities within the care sector therefore just seemed a natural thing to do and is a ‘win-win’ for both parties.
“With the Vocational Care Pathway we provide education and training, allowing these individuals to gain the qualifications to move through the ranks of the care sector and help establish this as their career of choice.”
Participants will enter an SQA accredited education programme and then begin a Modern Apprenticeship which will evolve into guaranteed employment within [email protected] and affiliate organisations, with opportunities for promotion and career growth.
This problem of recruitment in the care sector is set to be exacerbated by Brexit which could lead to lower levels of immigration to Scotland. EU nationals account for 5.6U% of staff in the care sector currently, with 42% of care services recruitment overseas coming from the EU.
