Agenda item

Report of the Director of Children and Adult Services

The Director of Children and Adult Services submitted a report (previously circulated) to provide an outline and overview of the Developing Darlington Care Collective (DDCC), including aims and objectives of the group.

It was reported that the concept of a ‘Care Collective’ followed on from the National Social Care Recruitment Campaign ("We need you now, they need you always") and was initially discussed during the first Covid-19 pandemic lockdown.

The rationale included providing support to the Care Sector in response to Covid-19, particularly in terms of low-level role capacity and need, supporting mental health and resilience, whilst creating opportunities to develop partnerships and multi-agency working across the health, social care and education sector in Darlington.

It was also reported that a number of priorities had been discussed with cross sector partners across the borough including support for the development of capacity across the Children and Adults Care Sector, particularly Care Homes and Children’s Residential Care, should a second wave of Covid19 manifest and to promote good mental health and make every contact count (MECC);  the Workforce Development Team had linked with key partners from across the borough to gauge appetite in supporting and being part of the DDCC; and a number of key questions were identified and answered in the initial DDCC Steering Group Meetings.

Martin Webster, Workforce Development Manager outlined the four key focus priorities of the Darlington Care Collective; ways to support the Adult Care Home Sector and Children’s Residential Services and support across the board for those working with people; how the Collective were looking at ways to develop volunteering, training and employment opportunities through multi-agency working bringing together 50 key partners from across the Borough, including the Council, Care Homes, Health partners, the Police, Children’s residential homes, colleges, universities and the voluntary sector; and the key drivers around supporting the sector in terms of bodes and designing consistent and sustainable models of training to link people into opportunities including access to Work Force Capacity Funding.

The submitted report also outlined specific headline plans for the DDCC in 2021 and all DDCC partners have agreed to co-produce a shared project plan for 2021 onwards.

Members questions related to apprenticeship schemes and access to funding; support for employment opportunities and getting people engaged into the process and progression of social work.

RESOLVED – (a) That the submitted report be noted in terms of the DDCC progressing and supporting Social Care succession planning and partnership development.

(b) That MECC (Making Every Contact Count) is considered as an informal local area approach to convey health related information to residents.