Sector skill council for social care

The social care sector has received a boost with the approval of
its own sector skills council.

The council, to be called Skills for Care, will lead the
sector’s workforce training from April 2004. The Topss UK
Partnership will run the council.

Talks are taking place between the Department of Education and
Skills (DfES) and Topss to resolve the issue of how Skills for Care
will relate to the dedicated children’s workforce sector
skills council proposed in the Every Child Matters green paper.

Criticisms have been made of the plans for a separate skills
council for children’s workers.

There are also concerns that a children’s sector skills
council could be rushed through and could also be in breach of
government licensing laws. Under the rules set by the DfES, which
is responsible for issuing licences for sector skills councils,
sector skills councils must be UK-wide but Every Child Matters only
relates to England.