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

Gathering feedback is a crucial aspect of ensuring continuous improvement and meeting the needs of those you support. Understanding how to effectively collect and utilize feedback can lead to meaningful changes. This course will explore various methods for gathering feedback through Microsoft Forms but there are other digital platforms that can be used to gather feedback. Microsoft Forms has been selected as the core basis for this course following feedback through the Academy. Licence costs for accessing the application may be applicable and alternative platforms are available. Read more

In this first session of the webinar series, we examine major reforms introduced by the Employment Rights Bill. Topics include unfair dismissal rights, fire and rehire practices, and limitation periods. The session also addresses frequently asked immigration and sponsorship questions, including TUPE regulations. Ideal for employers seeking practical legal insights and guidance on evolving employment legislation. This is a pre-recorded webinar, held on 10 July 2025. It is part one of a three-part series. This training was designed for those in management roles, but is available for everyone to view.   Disclaimer Lester Aldridge has been directly commissioned by West Midlands Employers, who in turn have been commissioned by West Midlands ADASS to support aspects of the International Recruitment Programme. As part of this Lester Aldridge are providing a series of webinars on various legal aspects of international recruitment for care providers in the West Midlands.    Please note that the content of the webinars reflects the law at the time they were run. Given the changing nature of immigration law, these responses may not reflect the current legal position, and we would suggest that you take professional advice before acting or refraining from acting on any of the contents of these FAQs.   Lester Aldridge LLP would be pleased to advise you on the application of the principles demonstrated in the FAQs to your specific circumstances but in the absence of such specific advice cannot be responsible or liable to you for the content of the FAQs. Please visit for more information: http://irwestmids.co.uk/hr-legal-services-support/  Read more

In Part Two of the Lester Aldridge webinar series, the focus shifts to new duties under the Employment Rights Bill aimed at preventing sexual harassment in the workplace. This includes employer responsibilities around third-party harassment and practical steps to ensure compliance. The session also addresses frequently asked immigration and sponsorship questions, including TUPE regulations, offering clear legal guidance for employers navigating these changes. This is a pre-recorded webinar, held on 21 August 2025. It is part two of a three-part series. This training was designed for those in management roles, but is available for everyone to view.   Disclaimer Lester Aldridge has been directly commissioned by West Midlands Employers, who in turn have been commissioned by West Midlands ADASS to support aspects of the International Recruitment Programme. As part of this Lester Aldridge are providing a series of webinars on various legal aspects of international recruitment for care providers in the West Midlands.    Please note that the content of the webinars reflects the law at the time they were run. Given the changing nature of immigration law, these responses may not reflect the current legal position, and we would suggest that you take professional advice before acting or refraining from acting on any of the contents of these FAQs.   Lester Aldridge LLP would be pleased to advise you on the application of the principles demonstrated in the FAQs to your specific circumstances but in the absence of such specific advice cannot be responsible or liable to you for the content of the FAQs. Please visit for more information: http://irwestmids.co.uk/hr-legal-services-support/  Read more

In Part Three of the Lester Aldridge webinar series, we explore further changes introduced by the Employment Rights Bill. Topics include bereavement and paternity leave (paid and unpaid), collective redundancies, flexible working, enhanced maternity dismissal protection, adult social care negotiating bodies, and trade union rights. The session also covers frequently asked immigration and sponsorship questions, including TUPE regulations, offering employers practical legal guidance on these evolving workplace reforms. This is a pre-recorded webinar, held on 4 September 2025. It is part one of a three-part series. This training was designed for those in management roles, but is available for everyone to view.   Disclaimer Lester Aldridge has been directly commissioned by West Midlands Employers, who in turn have been commissioned by West Midlands ADASS to support aspects of the International Recruitment Programme. As part of this Lester Aldridge are providing a series of webinars on various legal aspects of international recruitment for care providers in the West Midlands.    Please note that the content of the webinars reflects the law at the time they were run. Given the changing nature of immigration law, these responses may not reflect the current legal position, and we would suggest that you take professional advice before acting or refraining from acting on any of the contents of these FAQs.   Lester Aldridge LLP would be pleased to advise you on the application of the principles demonstrated in the FAQs to your specific circumstances but in the absence of such specific advice cannot be responsible or liable to you for the content of the FAQs. Please visit for more information: http://irwestmids.co.uk/hr-legal-services-support/  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 IDDSI Framework Training for Texture Modified Diets - 26th February 2026 - 09:30-15:30 - Beaconside Conference Centre (Uttoxeter Suite), Stafford Enterprise Park, Weston Road, Stafford, Staffordshire, ST18 0BF  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: Beaconside Conference Centre (Uttoxeter Suite), Stafford Enterprise Park, Weston Road, Stafford, Staffordshire, ST18 0BF Course Aim and Description Dining with Dignity provides complete training for chefs, catering teams, housekeepers, care home managers, carers, registered nurses, activity coordinators or anyone who could be involved in the preparation, cooking and delivery of food to residents at risk. The training has specific learning outcomes for all individual teams, including practical demonstrations and advice for the kitchen staff to include preparation, cooking and presentation of meals, theory and practical demonstrations. The training includes a workshop with group participation around the delivery of the meal service, and understanding the importance of the dining experience in relation to meeting of individual nutrition and hydration needs. Why the training? Are you providing Texture Modified Diets to individuals in your care? Do you have complaints from residents or family members about the quality/taste/appearance of texture modified diets? Are you unhappy with the presentation of Texture Modified Diets that you currently provide? Are you worried that residents may be at risk of choking or malnutrition because of inconsistencies in the preparation of textured diets? Are you concerned that you can evidence you are meeting the CQC requirements (meeting the individuals dietary needs-special diets). Do you want to improve both the nutritional content and appearance of meals provided to your residents? If the answer is yes, then this training is suitable for you.  The training will cover the following:  Essential Communication for the kitchen Why a Textured Modified Diet? The risk associated with Dysphagia (swallowing problems) Weight loss prevention Methods of cooking meat, fish, vegetables and desserts to enable the delivery of the IDDSI framework To include presentation and texture consistencies Audit tool included to check compliance. Improved dining experience for residents. 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 [email protected] Car Parking Please ensure that on the day you register your car registration when entering the venue, there is a tablet or QR code available in the foyer of the venue. If you don't do this you will be charged. Refreshment's Refreshments and lunch will not be provided on the day, however there are shops close by and a cafe on site. 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 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 Improving your CQC rating - 10th February 2026 - 10:00 -16:00 - The Stone House Hotel, Brooms Park Stafford Road, Stone ST15 0BQ  Improving your CQC rating - 10th March 2026 - 10:00 -16:00 - The Stone House Hotel, Brooms Park Stafford Road, Stone ST15 0BQ  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 Stone House Hotel,  Brooms Park Stafford Road, Stone, ST15 0BQ  Course Aim and Description Are you struggling to meet CQC standards? Join our training and discover practical strategies to achieve a good rating. Maintaining CQC standards is crucial for any regulated adult social care provider committed to delivering excellent care. It's essential to understand the CQC assessment process and how you can provide evidence that your care quality aligns with national standards. This not only benefits the individuals you support and your staff teams but also enhances your service's reputation. Tailored for registered managers, quality leads, compliance leads, nominated individuals, owners and team leaders, the interactive seminar presents a step-by-step approach to driving improvements. You will gain insights into successful recovery strategies from a 'requires improvement' or 'inadequate' rating, learn how to identify and overcome obstacles to improvement and understand the specific evidence required to demonstrate successful resolution of issues. The course includes two key elements: 1) Looking at the importance of implementing improvements and overcoming obstacles. ▪ The benefits of making improvements ▪ The impact of CQC regulations, notifications and breaches ▪ What to avoid on your improvement journey ▪ Overcoming the barriers to improvement 2) Looking at how to involve others in driving forward improvements and evidencing changes made. ▪ Involving others in helping you to improve ▪ Practical problems and solutions ▪ How to action and evidence improvements ▪ Maintaining quality Key Benefits include: - Strategically prepare your team for CQC re-assessment, ensuring a clear path to success. - Understand what evidence is expected and learn how to demonstrate that your service meets the CQC's standards. - Gain a comprehensive understanding of the support systems available to you for effective CQC assessment. - Understand how to implement practical solutions within your service. - Receive an electronic participant toolkit with seminar materials, useful insight and guidance. 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 [email protected] Car Parking Please note that there is free on site car parking at The Stone House Hotel. Refreshment's A small basic lunch will be provided on the day.  Drinks will not be provided on the day, however there are shops close by and a cafe on site. 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