New Residential Childcare courses to meet changing industry needs
AC Education unveils pioneering Residential Childcare training package to help staff overcome sector challenges.
The pressure on residential support workers has never been greater. From recruitment and staff retention issues to changing Ofsted requirements, the industry is dealing with a myriad of complex issues. Navigating these challenges isn’t easy, and a ‘one-size-fits-all’ solution rarely works.
That’s why we’re launching a comprehensive Residential Childcare training package that’s carefully tailored to meet your organisation’s individual needs. Featuring 59 different courses, the bundle covers key topics such as children and young people who run away, supporting young people leaving care, therapeutic re-parenting, and bereavement, to name just a few.
Continue reading to discover how this pioneering programme can help residential settings overcome the challenges they face, while improving care standards and outcomes for looked after children.
Why flexibility could be the answer to the recruitment crisis
At AC Education, we understand that most residential support workers simply don’t have the time to undertake traditional in-person training. To help overcome this problem, we’ve created a flexible and accessible training programme that’s designed to fit around your staff’s current workload and personal commitments.
Led by experienced practitioners, the new Residential Childcare Training package provides bite-sized learning on-demand – perfect for overstretched employees with limited time.
Learners can complete their training at their own pace, with courses accessible day and night via the online Learning Management System (LMS). What’s more, the package is tailored to meet your organisation’s individual training requirements. Staff can undertake one course or the complete bundle – it’s entirely up to you. This makes it a cost-effective and scalable solution fit for today’s residential care settings.
With 73% of residential settings struggling to recruit and retain staff, our flexible training solutions can also help to combat workforce shortages. According to one study, 87% of social care employers felt that offering learning and development opportunities improved staff commitment and retention rates. So if you’re looking to attract and retain talent, investing in high-quality staff training and development could be the answer.
How bite-sized learning can help solve the skills gap
While an increase in recruits is of course great news, the mandatory Level 3 Residential Childcare Diploma can take a long time to complete. This is another reason why bite-sized learning can be highly beneficial.
Being able to quickly digest important topics like Promoting Positive Contact and Suicide Prevention means staff can still provide high-quality care during the induction period.
This knowledge can also help them to complete their qualification more quickly and effectively. And that’s a huge win for everyone.
Make the most of your residential support workers’ limited time
Our child-centred approach ensures we make the most of learners’ limited time with the course content having a clear focus on practical application of theory, ensuring individuals develop the key skills required to support children and Young Person. Many of our learners say this helps them to develop their skills and understanding while maintaining a good work-life balance – something that can be particularly challenging at the current time.
According to Ofsted, creating “a culture of a work-life balance” is crucial to running a successful residential childcare setting. For over two-thirds of people, work-life balance is even more important than pay and employee benefits. With statistics like this, helping employees to achieve a balance and avoid burnout will pay dividends in the long run.
Meanwhile, courses such as An Introduction to Mindfulness (available as part of the Residential Childcare package or individually) can also boost staff morale and promote employee wellbeing. This is crucial if you want to create a positive working culture in which staff feel valued and respected.
Meeting Ofsted’s inspection framework
With professional development central to Ofsted’s inspection framework, AC Education’s fully flexible online Residential Childcare courses can help providers fulfil their staff training needs and obligations. Plus, you can easily log employees’ CPD hours online and add observations as evidence for Ofsted compliance. It’s just one less thing you need to worry about.
What makes us different
At AC Education we like to do things differently. We take a customer-led approach and actively listen and respond to the needs of the residential care industry. So whatever challenges your organisation is facing – be it recruitment or low staff morale – our tailored training packages will give your setting the tools it needs to adapt and thrive. Simply get in touch to discover how your organisation can benefit and make the switch today.
