Department of Health and Social Care
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Cash bonus to give young jobless a start in social care

Cash bonus to give young jobless a start in social care

News Release issued by the COI News Distribution Service on 25 January 2010

Employers across Britain will get £1,000 for taking on a young person who is struggling to find work.

Additional free pre-employment training packages will also get young recruits off to a flying start through the Care First Careers initiative announced today by Care Services Minister, Phil Hope and Work and Pensions Minister, Jim Knight.

Care First Careers is part of the Government’s young person’s guarantee that everyone between the ages of 18 and 24 who has been looking for work for six months will get a job offer, work experience or training. It makes £75million available to fund up to 50,000 jobs.

Care Services Minister Phil Hope said:

“The population of Britain is ageing. For the first time we have more over 65s than under 18s. The Government is planning a new National Care Service to meet the growing demand for adult care - we need to get the next generation of care staff in place now.

“Care services offer challenging and rewarding careers, from managing care homes to supporting older and disabled people to live independently in their own homes. I hope Care First Careers will encourage more young people to consider a future in care and help give them the leg-up they need to get started.”

To support the introduction of Care First Careers, a series of 11 regional launch events will take place in January and February 2010 throughout England, Scotland and Wales. These will involve inviting adult social care employers from each region to learn more about the scheme and employing young people in general.

To find out more about these events and to learn how to apply for the subsidy, employers can visit www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk/carefirstcareers.

Notes to Editors

For more information, quotes from stakeholders, case studies, interviews and video footage, please contact:

Betty Nwosu – betty.nwosu@coi.gsi.gov.uk 0207 261 8849
Sarah Viner – sarah.viner@coi.gsi.gov.uk 0207 261 8682
Mira Ryness – mira.ryness@coi.gsi.gov.uk 0207 261 8942
Department of Health Newsdesk 020 7210 5221

• Care First Careers was announced today at Number 10 Downing Street, as part of a wider plan to support Britain’s youth. For further information, please see: http://www.dwp.gov.uk/newsroom/press-releases/2010/january-2010/dwp017-10-250110.shtml

• The intention to introduce this programme was announced in the Budget 2009 and it has been piloted in South Tyne and Wear Valley, Cheshire, Halton and Warrington, Coventry and Warwickshire and South West Wales.

• Social care workers will feature in a Department of Health led campaign to encourage more people into the sector by highlighting the job benefits and opportunities. The campaign, starts on January 25th with TV, print and online platforms supporting regional face-to-face recruitment events and direct marketing. This year, a new TV advert will be included in the campaign and will feature a young carer – directly supporting Care First Careers objectives to encourage more young people into the sector

• Key stakeholders involved in developing and championing Care First Careers include: the United Kingdom Home Care Association, the English Community Care Association, National Care Association, Skills for Care and Association of Directors for Adult Social Services amongst others. These stakeholders were keen to lend their support as they believe the scheme is a great way of attracting young people into a rewarding career and supporting training opportunities

• Care First Careers is one of the Routes into Work within the Young Persons Guarantee. There are currently four other Routes into work: retail, hospitality/leisure/travel and tourism, security and facilities management

• The scheme will be administered by Jobcentre Plus whose front line advisors will be fully trained to promote adult social care as a key route into work for unemployed 18-24 year olds

Contacts:

Department of Health
Phone: 020 7210 5221
NDS.DH@coi.gsi.gov.uk

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