The Social Care Wales Workforce Development Grant (SCWWDP) is a long-established grant programme to support training and workforce development across social care in Wales.
Today, we’ve published the national themes and findings report of how the SCWWDP grant was invested by regions in 2023 to 2024.
The 2023 to 2024 main findings are:
- overall, total spend on SCWWDP has increased by 1.8 per cent (£219,086), from £12,475,258 to £12,694,344
- the total spend included:
- £7,640,051 from the SCWWDP grant
- 30 per cent match funding (£3,274,308) contributed by each local authority
- £1,779,985 extra local authority funding (over and above their 30 per cent match funding)
- there was an increase of 9.2 per cent in spend on staff who provide direct learning and development
- nearly half of local authorities (45.5 per cent) saw an increase in sector wide training attendance.
- there was an increase of 9.2 per cent in spend on staff who provide direct learning and development
- nearly half of local authorities (45.5 per cent) saw an increase in sector wide training attendance.
In 2023 to 2024, the SCWWDP grant:
- was used to support learning and development programmes in all seven regions of Wales, with a continued trend of delivering on a more local level
- supported 1,889 vocational qualification learners, an increase of 3.3 per cent on last year
- supported 1,356 people on social work qualifying training, an increase of 15.9 per cent on last year
- supported 996 people with social work post qualifying training, an increase of 16.8 per cent on last year
- supported 448 people with social work post qualifying specialist awards, for example, enabling practice, best interest assessor and Approved Mental Health Professional (AMHP). This was an increase of 15.2 per cent on last year
- provided 135,169 training places, with 82.8 per cent attendance
- helped increase training attendance from wider services such as health, the police, education, unpaid carers and volunteers. This was an increase of 28.2 per cent on last year.
Sarah McCarty, our Chief Executive, said: “We want the social care workforce to be motivated, engaged and valued, with the capacity, competence, and confidence to meet the care and support needs of the people of Wales.
“The social care workforce is the sector’s biggest asset and workforce development is an integral part of making sure people can excel in their current roles but also be prepared for the future.
“Every year we distribute around £7 million of funding to support social care workforce development regionally. Local authorities provide match funding to the grant which is used to support training and workforce development activity in both their own organisations and for providers in the independent and voluntary sector.
“There’s a range of support available, and the learning and development opportunities funded through SCWWDP are tailored to the local needs of the workforce in each region, overseen by a cross-sector partnership.
“We’re pleased to publish the national themes and findings from the regional use of the SCWWDP grant in 2023 to 2024. SCWWDP is only one funding source to support social care workforce development in Wales. As well as SCWWDP, social care workforce development in Wales is supported by additional local authority funding, investment made by private and third sector providers and Welsh Government social care and workforce grants to local authorities.
“We plan to explore how we can build a more detailed and fuller picture in future with local authorities, regions and Welsh Government. To find out more about the workforce development and learning opportunities available to the social care workforce we encourage you to contact the workforce development teams in your local area.”