National Evaluation of the Workforce Development Fund version 1
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Process Evaluation of Skills for Care’s Workforce Development Fund, including support for Individual Employers
IRAS ID
136333
Contact name
Tim Allan
Contact email
Research summary
The study is examining the efficiency and effectiveness of Skills for Care’s processes for administering the Workforce Development Fund (WDF - including support for Individual Employers) and Workforce Development Innovation Fund (WDIF) during 2012/13. Through a series of stages the study will:
- complete a desk based review of adminstration processes (how funds are allocated, contracted and monitored);
- survey delivery agencies to understand their experiences of accessing and reporting back on the funds;
- survey beneficiaries to understand their experience of support;
- assess the economic impacts arising from the fund’s implementation;
- draw out conclusions and recommendations for the fund’s future delivery.SCREC approval is sought for one element of the research - a survey of individual employers who have accessed support through the WDF. In this instance individual employers are defined as adults in receipt of a direct payment to employ their own care and support staff. Other strands of the research involve consultations with adult social care providers and therefore do not require REC approval.
It is envisaged that we will survey approximately 30 individual employers during August 2013. They will be asked to complete a short survey to explore their experience of applying for and receiving WDF support. The survey will be completed by telephone, online or in hard copy by post, depending on interviewee preference. Any requests for alternative consultation approaches (e.g. face to face) will be assessed on a case by case basis.
All interviewees will have accessed support through the fund, either directly through Skills for Care or through a User Led Organisation. As the fund has been delivered nationally, interviewees may be drawn from across England.
The findings will help Skills for Care to improve their processes going forward.
REC name
Social Care REC
REC reference
13/IEC08/0034
Date of REC Opinion
16 Aug 2013
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion