Skills for Care renews endorsement of First Response Training

National training provider First Response Training (FRT) has once again been named as an Endorsed Learning Provider by Skills for Care. FRT, which has been delivering health and social care training across the UK for over 25 years, has been recognised as an Endorsed Learning Provider by Skills for Care since 2020. The endorsed...

Mental Health Awareness Week: move for your mental health

Mental Health Awareness Week is observed from 13th to 19th May 2024 in the UK and the theme for this year is movement – moving more for our mental health. The Mental Health Foundation, which set the theme, says that movement is vital for our mental health and emotional wellbeing, but they acknowledge that...

Schools urged to warn pupils over sextortion

Schools have been urged to warn their pupils about the dangers of sextortion after a surge in cases worldwide. The National Crime Agency (NCA) sent an “unprecedented warning” to thousands of teachers on Monday (29th April) providing guidance about how to support young people and explaining that all age groups and genders are being...

Allergy Awareness Week: allergies are too big to ignore

This week (22nd-28th April) is Spring Allergy Awareness Week 2024 in the UK, with a mission to raise awareness of allergies and ensure they are taken seriously. As allergies begin to affect more and more of the population, Allergy UK is taking the opportunity this Allergy Awareness Week to highlight the fact that allergies...

Childline: Children struggling with feelings of unhappiness

Childline has revealed that it receives nearly 40 contacts per day from children who are struggling with feelings of unhappiness and low mood. The national charity helpline, operated by the NSPCC, delivered 14,253 counselling sessions last year for children who were struggling with low mood and unhappiness, leading them to launch a new campaign...

HSE: take 5 steps to tackle stress at work

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is urging businesses across all industries to make Stress Awareness Month the month they tackle stress at work and make it part of their core working routine to support mental health. Britain’s health and safety watchdog says that employers and managers alike can address stress at work this...

The new Care Workforce Pathway for adult social care

Developed by the UK government in partnership with Skills for Care, the new Care Workforce Pathway is a framework which outlines the knowledge, skills, values and behaviours required of people working in adult social care services. Co-developed by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), Skills for Care, representatives from the adult social...

Increase your wellbeing little by little this Stress Awareness Month

April is Stress Awareness Month in the UK, and the theme this year is #LittleByLittle, to highlight the power of small, everyday actions in combating stress and improving overall wellbeing. Observed every April since 1992, Stress Awareness Month aims to raise awareness of the causes and possible cures for stress, which The Stress Management...

Skills for Care are celebrating social care in April

Throughout April, Skills for Care will be Celebrating Social Care as part of an annual campaign. Since 2022, the workforce development charity has used the month of April to celebrate the adult social care workforce “a little bit louder” and highlight the “vital impact” they have on people using care services. Skills for Care...

Get as colourful as possible for World Autism Acceptance Week

World Autism Acceptance Week 2024 is being held from 2nd to 8th April, with Tuesday 2nd April also being designated as World Autism Awareness Day. The international awareness week helps to improve awareness, raise vital funds, breakdown barriers and tackle discrimination. The National Autistic Society encourages schools, workplaces and local communities to get involved,...

Health and safety can help tackle UK economic crisis

A poll conducted by the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) found that many agreed that workplace health and safety can help tackle the UK’s current economic crisis. The snap social media poll conducted earlier this month found that more than two thirds of respondents (68%) said ‘Yes’ when asked if occupational safety...

HSE campaign focuses on protecting trades’ mental health

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has brought new partners on board to its Working Minds campaign to help protect trades’ mental health. Britain’s health and safety watchdog offers free online learning, support and resources through its Working Minds campaign, which aims to help employers prevent stress and support good mental health among their...

CQC campaign encourages people to share care experiences

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has launched a new campaign to encourage people whose voices are often marginalised to share their care experiences in order to help services improve. Britain’s care watchdog says it knows that people “whose voices are seldom heard” are also often more likely to experience poorer care. Their Share for...

Neurodiversity Celebration Week 2024 celebrates different minds

Neurodiversity Celebration Week is observed from 18th-24th March 2024 in the UK. The awareness week is actually a worldwide initiative that celebrates neurological differences and challenges stereotypes and negative misconceptions surrounding them to change the way learning disabilities and neurodivergent individuals are perceived. Neurodiversity Celebration Week encourages schools, universities and organisations to consider the...

Child abuse image crimes increase by 25%

The NSPCC says new figures show that child abuse image crimes increased by 25% in 2022-23. The national children’s charity obtained data from UK police forces which revealed that police recorded more than 33,000 child abuse image crimes last year. These included offences where images were collected and distributed. When comparing data to figures...