Training in Care in Surrey expansion

We are thrilled to announce that we have entered into a strategic partnership with Whitmore Vale Housing Association which will see us expand into Surrey.

The partnership will see the two businesses collaborate to upskill those employed in the chain’s care homes across Surrey, as well helping more people in the region explore a career in care.

The UK is currently engulfed in a crippling social care crisis, with the Government’s own estimates putting the number of vacancies in the sector at approximately 131,000.

Several longstanding challenges have contributed to this, including high vacancy rates, an ageing population and a lack of career progression opportunities.

The partnership between Training in Care and Whitmore Vale however aims to address these challenges head-on by providing valuable opportunities for existing staff to gain new qualifications while at work, as well as breaking down the barriers for those seeking to enter the care sector. 

Dr Angela Brown, founder and chief executive of Training in Care, said: “We are delighted to be teaming up with Whitmore Vale Housing Association for this pioneering project to help address the chronic shortage of care workers across the South East of England.

“Care workers are the backbone of our health and social care system, yet a perfect storm of an ageing population and lack of employees has led to the industry facing unprecedented staffing shortages that are putting immense pressure on services and those who rely on them.

“This is why it’s so important that we not only do all we can to encourage more people to work in the sector, but also to upskill the hundreds of thousands of amazing people already working in the industry who want to progress and ensure we retain them.

“Now more than ever, we need bold investment in people — not just policies. That’s why we’re stepping up our efforts, by working with likeminded organisations such as Whitmore Vale, as well as local authorities and learners, to ensure every aspiring carer has the support they need to thrive."

Whitmore Vale Housing Association provides care, support and housing to people with learning disabilities and/or autism.

Sonja Jones, CEO, ran her own training company prior to joining the business in 2022 and believes, should the project prove a success, that it could become a blueprint for how training is delivered across the UK.

She said: “I was searching for a training provider to work with us, not for us, and Training in Care was the only organisation registered on the Skills for Care website which ticked all of the boxes.

“The training programmes they have developed allow our staff to put what they’re learning into practice in their day-to-day roles, and everything included in the curriculum is relevant to their individual jobs, so it means we can upskill our staff while they work.

“At a time when we’re suffering from a chronic skills shortage, this is vital, as it means we can continue providing the quality of care we pride ourselves on while providing the best possible environment for our staff to grow.

“We have already signed up over two dozen staff members to undertake the training over the course of the next three years and looking to the future, there is no reason why we can’t work together to roll this out further, not only across Surrey, but across the UK.”

For more information on Whitmore Vale Housing Association, visit: https://www.whitmorevale.co.uk/