Training available at the Social Care Academy for Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent

Apprenticeships are a vital pathway for individuals seeking to develop their career and skills. These programs offer a unique combination of practical experience and theoretical knowledge, equipping apprentices with the skills and competencies needed to excel in various roles. Apprentices spend a significant portion of their time working alongside experienced staff, this hands-on approach allows them to apply theoretical knowledge in real-world scenarios Upon completion of an apprenticeship, individuals are well-positioned to pursue further qualifications and career advancement. Many apprentices continue their education through higher-level apprenticeships.   Customer Service Practitioner and Business Administrator Customer Service Practitioner (level 2) and Business administrator (level 3)   Administration staff in social care, such as office administrators and receptionists, play a pivotal role in ensuring smooth day-to-day operations. They handle essential tasks like managing records, scheduling appointments, and coordinating communication. Their support helps maintain an organized and efficient environment, which is critical for the delivery of high-quality care services. These qualifications are ideal for someone already established in their business administrator role, refining their skills or someone who is looking to develop their foundational knowledge. Local Partners   Customer Service Practitioner (Stoke-on-Trent College) Customer Service Practitioner Apprenticeship (South Staffordshire College) Business Administrator (Stoke-on-Trent College) Business Administration Apprenticeship (South Staffordshire College)     What to do next Speak with your line manager or supervisor about your interest in your chosen apprenticeship. You will need to agree which institution will provide your apprenticeship, local Colleges and Universities deliver apprenticeship courses but other options can be identified through the Government apprenticeship training courses page. There is often financial support available to support an apprenticeship, contact Adele.Cooke@mpft.nhs.uk for a discussion on what levy funding is available. Read more

This e-learning course is designed to help you understand what adult safeguarding is, and the local policies and procedures within Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent.    This course covers the definitions of safeguarding, types of abuse and neglect, the legal framework for adult safeguarding, managing immediate risks, alternatives to safeguarding, making effective referrals, handling abuse disclosures, the referral process, reporting without consent, and concludes with information on Prevent and persons in positions of trust.   This training is suitable for all care support worker staff.   This training is equivalent to 90 minutes participatory hours for CPD. A certificate will be provided upon completion of this training.   This training is currently insufficient to be classed as mandatory training. We will be exploring mandatory training in the future.   This training was developed by the the Social Care Academy for Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent in partnership with Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent council's and the safeguarding board. Read more

This e-learning course is designed to support you with Advance Care Planning. This course provides an overview of advance care planning, covering essential topics such as definitions, national ambitions, and key considerations. You will learn about different types of advance care plans, including Advance Statements and Advance Decisions to Refuse Treatment, as well as the role of Lasting Power of Attorney.  Please also see other Palliative Care and End of Life training courses developed by the MPFT Palliative and End of Life Care Team (Palliative + EOLC): E-Learning: Palliative Care Introduction for Care Support Workers Advance Care Planning Early Identification of End of Life Spirituality and End of Life Care The SWAN Model in End of Life and Bereavement Care   Webinars: Available for registered staff: Assessment and Care Planning in Palliative and End of Life Care Care After Death Last Days of Life Available for all staff: ReSPECT and Advance Care Planning Responding to Distress: Communication Skills End of Life Education for Care Agencies Symptom Management at End of Life Care for Care Homes   This training is suitable for all care support worker staff.   This training is equivalent to one hour participatory hours for CPD. A certificate will be provided upon completion of this training.   This training does discuss death and dying, and may be upsetting for some audiences.   This training was developed by the MPFT Palliative and End of Life Care Team (Palliative + EOLC). Read more

This course is for Staffordshire Adult Social Care providers delivering care to individuals in Staffordshire or for individuals outside of Staffordshire receiving care funded or commissioned by Staffordshire County Council. Course Dates Advanced Dementia - 15th September 2025 - 09:30-17:00 - Shire Hall Business Centre, 2, Market Street, Stafford ST16 2JZ Advanced Dementia - 19th November 2025 - 09:30-17:00 - Shire Hall Business Centre, 2, Market Street, Stafford ST16 2JZ Advanced Dementia - 10th February 2026 - 09:30-17:00 - Shire Hall Business Centre, 2, Market Street, Stafford ST16 2JZ (Tickets to be released later in the year) Advanced Dementia - 18th March 2026 - 09:30-17:00 - Shire Hall Business Centre, 2, Market Street, Stafford ST16 2JZ (Tickets to be released later in the year) How to book this training To book a training event, add it to your cart, there will be an option to choose a training session and "purchase" it from the storefront, if there is only one training session available for that course, you will automatically be enrolled on to that session and if there are multiple dates available then you will be prompted to select an available date. Please note there is no cost for this training. Session Details This training is being held at: Shire Hall Business Centre,  2, Market Street, Stafford, ST16 2JZ Course Aim and Description Aim: To develop an advanced knowledge of dementia and provide the best outcomes for people living with it By successfully completing this course you will be able to: •             Understand what dementia is and explain the importance of dementia awareness •             Describe the types, signs, progression and stages of dementia •             Understand what is delirium and the symptoms associated with it •             Explain the difference between dementia and delirium •             Understand how dementia impacts an individual’s willingness to engage with others •             List all the relevant legislations and the legal framework in the UK •             Describe the physical, psychological and emotional problems faced by people with dementia •             Understand the issues around their wellbeing and quality of life •             Explain why people with dementia present certain behaviours •             Describe the triggers of those behaviours, along with strategies to de-escalate them •             Demonstrate the strategies and skills required to effectively communicate with people living with dementia •             Describe how to deliver person-centred care to an individual with dementia •             Understand the administration of medication to individuals with dementia using a person-centred approach •             Explain how to use evidence-based interventions to address cognitive and functional decline in people with dementia •             Understand how to maintain dignity, empower the individuals to make choices and maintain independence as much as possible •             Describe the ethical considerations in decision-making and capacity assessment •             Understand the importance of equality, diversity and inclusion in dementia care •             Explain how to develop empathy, compassion, and cultural sensitivity in dementia care practice •             Describe how to design meaningful activities to improve the engagement of individuals with advanced dementia Booking Changes Please note, by booking onto this training course you are committing to attending at the referenced date and time. Your space on this session has cost Staffordshire County Council and while there is not a cost to yourself or your organisation, public funds have been utilised to fund the training.  If you cannot attend, you can send someone in your place but we will require notification so we can update the course register.  If you are unable to attend or send someone in your place, we ask for 7 working days’ notice in order to have the opportunity to offer this space to others.  All bookings or unenrolment changes should be emailed to cmdt@staffordshire.gov.uk Car Parking Please ensure that you check prior to attending the training where is most suitable for you to park, we recommend that you refer to Stafford Borough Council's website for car parking information in Stafford Car Parking in Stafford and Stone | Stafford Borough Council (staffordbc.gov.uk). The closest car park is the Waterfront car park.  Refreshment's Refreshments will not be provided on the day, however there are shops close by. If you have any additional requirements, such as the need for British Sign Language (BSL) interpretation or mobility requirements, please let us know in advance so that we can make the necessary arrangements to accommodate your needs. Waiting List If this course is fully booked, or you are unable to attend of the available dates, you can request to be added to the waiting list. Read more

This webinar will explore the importance of holistic palliative care assessments and reassessments, detailing what should be included and the documentation that supports these assessments. Participants will learn how to utilise assessment findings to plan care effectively and explore various guidance, tools, and resources to support assessment and care planning. The session will also identify barriers, health inequalities, and protected characteristics, and apply learning to clinical scenarios to incorporate assessment and care planning. The session is suitable for registered staff within care homes. If you are unsure if you can attend this webinar please contact socialcareacademy@staffordshire.gov.uk. Session Details This webinar is held via Microsoft Teams. Available sessions: 14 October 2025 - 2pm to 3:30pm 3 December 2025 - 2pm to 3:30pm Training Information Please also see other Palliative Care and End of Life training courses developed by the MPFT Palliative and End of Life Care Team (Palliative + EOLC): E-Learning: Palliative Care Introduction for Care Support Workers Advance Care Planning Early Identification of End of Life Spirituality and End of Life Care The SWAN Model in End of Life and Bereavement Care   Webinars: Available for registered staff: Assessment and Care Planning in Palliative and End of Life Care Care After Death Last Days of Life Available for all staff: ReSPECT and Advance Care Planning Responding to Distress: Communication Skills End of Life Education for Care Agencies Symptom Management at End of Life Care for Care Homes     The session is suitable for registered staff within care homes. If you are unsure if you can attend this webinar please contact socialcareacademy@staffordshire.gov.uk.   This training is equivalent to 90 minutes participatory time for CPD. A certificate will be provided upon completion of this training.   This training does discuss death and dying, and may be upsetting for some audiences.   This training was developed by the MPFT Palliative and End of Life Care Team (Palliative + EOLC). Read more

This course is for Staffordshire Adult Social Care providers delivering care to individuals in Staffordshire or for individuals outside of Staffordshire receiving care funded or commissioned by Staffordshire County Council. Course Dates Audit Training - 25th September 2025 - 09:30-17:00 - The Shire Hall Business Centre, 2, Market Street, Stafford ST16 2JZ Audit Training - 21st October 2025 - 09:30-17:00 - The Shire Hall Business Centre, 2, Market Street, Stafford ST16 2JZ  Audit Training - 25th February 2026 - 09:30-17:00 - The Shire Hall Business Centre, 2, Market Street, Stafford ST16 2JZ  (Tickets for this date will be released later in the year) How to book this training To book a training event, add it to your cart, there will be an option to choose a training session and "purchase" it from the storefront, if there is only one training session available for that course, you will automatically be enrolled on to that session and if there are multiple dates available then you will be prompted to select an available date. Please note there is no cost for this training. Session Details This training is being held at: The Shire Hall Business Centre,  2, Market Street, Stafford ST16 2JZ Course Aim and Description Learning Outcomes: By successfully completing this course you will be able to: •             Understand what care audit is and how you can use it to improve the quality of your services •             Understand the key stages of a care audit •             List the relevant legislations in the UK •             Describe the importance of involving and supporting the people who use your services •             List some tips and guidance for conducting care audit in your organisation •             Understand what is meant by supporting personalisation of services •             Define audit scope and frequency •             Understand how to plan and prepare for an audit or inspection •             Understand everything about auditing the care plans including basic audit process for care plans •             Describe the importance of audit action plans •             Understand everything about root cause analysis (RCA) •             Describe how to close the audit loop and report the progress Booking Changes Please note, by booking onto this training course you are committing to attending at the referenced date and time. Your space on this session has cost Staffordshire County Council and while there is not a cost to yourself or your organisation, public funds have been utilised to fund the training.  If you cannot attend, you can send someone in your place but we will require notification so we can update the course register.  If you are unable to attend or send someone in your place, we ask for 7 working days’ notice in order to have the opportunity to offer this space to others.  All bookings or unenrolment changes should be emailed to cmdt@staffordshire.gov.uk Car Parking Please ensure that you check prior to attending the training where is most suitable for you to park, we recommend that you refer to Stafford Borough Council's website for car parking information in Stafford Car Parking in Stafford and Stone | Stafford Borough Council (staffordbc.gov.uk). The closest car park is the Waterfront car park.  Refreshment's Refreshments will not be provided on the day, however there are shops close by.  If you have any additional requirements, such as the need for British Sign Language (BSL) interpretation or mobility requirements, please let us know in advance so that we can make the necessary arrangements to accommodate your needs. Waiting List If this course is fully booked, or you are unable to attend of the available dates, you can request to be added to the waiting list. Read more