West Midlands Care Association

The West Midlands Care Association has been the voice of the care industry within the region for over twenty years. The Association offers the crucial support care providers require to deliver sustainable excellence within community, nursing, special needs and residential home settings.

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About Us

The Association offers the crucial support Care providers require to deliver sustainable excellence within community, nursing, special needs and residential home settings.

We offer a wide range of services including advice, events, training, recruitment support, stakeholder engagement (local authorities and ICBs) and discounted DBS checks


We work closely with local, regional and National stakeholders to ensure that your voice is heard


We have a dedicated team who are here to help you during normal office hours.

OUR SERVICES JOIN US

Office Hours:

Monday - Friday 9.00am-5.00pm

Latest News and Useful Information

WMCA News

14 Mar, 2024
Care Roadshows Open Registration for Scotland, North West and Midlands 2024 Events The leading regional events for connecting members of the care industry across the UK are returning. Care Roadshows is pleased to announce that registration is now open for its first three locations of 2024, in Scotland, the North West and the Midlands. With a focus on collaboration and knowledge-sharing, this year's events promise to empower visitors to stay ahead of industry trends and drive positive change within their organisations. Key Dates and Locations • Glasgow, Scotland: Hampden Park Stadium, Tuesday 16th April 2024 • Liverpool, North West: Aintree Racecourse, Tuesday 14th May 2024 • Birmingham, Midlands: Villa Park Stadium, Thursday 16th May 2024 (Our Chief Executive, Keiron Broadbent, will be speaking on the Digital Social Care panel discussion) Free-to-Attend CPD At each location, prepare for a comprehensive exploration of topics crucial to ensuring sustainable delivery of exceptional care services in your region. Engage in free-to-attend seminars and panel discussions led by industry leaders, delving into unique challenges and cutting-edge research shaping the UK care landscape. The stellar line-up of speakers includes: • Dr Donald Macaskill, CEO, Scottish Care • Matthew Bond, CEO, Borderless, • Anna Houston, Operations Director, HRM Homecare Services Ltd • Amrit Dhaliwal, CEO, Walfinch • Claire Leake FCIPD, Chief People Officer, National Care Group Limited Explore the Supplier Showcase Connect with the teams behind leading care suppliers, offering the latest products, services and resources to support your care business. Discover how these innovations can not only enhance business efficiency, save you money and improve quality of life but also support the growth and development of your organisation and your teams. • Advanced UK • Birdie • Borderless • CareDocs • CareHomeLife • Careline Live • DDC Dolphin • Equity Release and Mortgage Partnerships Ltd • EveryLIFE Technologies • Medline Consultancy • Open Road Access • Spearhead • Unique IQ View the full exhibitor lists and find out more about how each of these companies can help you. Join us: Secure your place today to be part of this unparalleled opportunity to discover how you can empower positive action within care. For more information and to register, visit the Care Roadshow Website. Book here: https://careroadshows-2024.reg.buzz/wmca
14 Mar, 2024
University of Wolverhampton, in collaboration with Walsall and Dudley Colleges are hosting a Placement Networking event with care providers. "Join us for an exciting and informative Knowledge Exchange Event in, partnership with Walsall and Dudley Colleges, designed exclusively for local colleges and health and social care placement provider partners! This event is a unique opportunity for you to network, collaborate, and explore the realms of T Level and HTQ placements. Date of Event: 29th April 10am to 1.30pm See flyer below (you can book your place on here)
14 Mar, 2024
GML’s Commitment to Excellence in Training Grey Matter Learning (GML) is an award-winning eLearning provider in the social care sector. Since 2006, their mission has been to ‘improve lives through learning’. GML offers a comprehensive range of expertly created CPD-accredited online courses, reflecting their commitment to excellence in care. These courses cover all statutory and mandatory training for social care and other development pathways, ensuring a well-rounded learning experience. Click eLearning platform for social care providers GML’s eLearning platform, ‘Click’, is available through a simple subscription. Click offers over 100 health and social care courses and certificates. Designed to deliver significant time and cost savings whilst providing a user-friendly and efficient learning experience, Click embodies their commitment to exceeding industry standards, contributing directly to higher CQC ratings. GML’s training approach GML’s training approach is built around the ‘Know. Understand. Do’ methodology, placing learning in the workplace at its core. This person-centred approach to learning ensures that training is more than just a box-ticking exercise; it is informative, impactful, and relevant to the carer’s daily responsibilities. Before a learner accesses any courses, Click's pre-assessment identifies any knowledge gaps ensuring that the training focuses on the areas they need the most. Exclusive discount for WMCA members... As one of our preferred training providers, we are delighted to announce that GML has extended a special offer to our WMCA members. This exclusive offer gives members access to the GML ‘Click’ platform for a discounted rate of £2.40 per learner . Included within this, you will receive unlimited access to 100+ courses, access to all Click LMS features, certificates for all courses and ongoing dedicated support. For more information and to explore GML’s comprehensive range of training courses, click here.
More News

The Workforce Development Fund for 2023-2024 is now open

The Workforce Development Fund (WDF) is funding from the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) disseminated by Skills for Care. It supports the provision of high quality care and the continuing professional development (CPD) of staff across the adult social care sector by providing a contribution towards the costs of vocational learning.


The fund allows you to claim back money towards the costs of workers completing a broad range of adult social care qualifications and learning programmes.


West Midlands Care Association runs the WDF Partnership for Birmingham, Coventry, Solihull, the Black Country, Warwickshire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire


The fund will close at the end of May 2024 for claims

Black Country Excellence in Care Awards 2023

We are pleased to announce the winners of  the first Black Country Excellence in Care Awards






Social Media

Our Social Media feeds are updated daily with the latest news from the association and from around the care industry

To get the latest uptodate news and notifications of our events, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin and Instagram by clicking the links below


Newsletters

WMCA publishes a weekly newsletter with government updates and whats new in the industry and the Care Association. 


You can access the archive by clicking on the button below

WMCA Newsletter Archive

Useful Information

Members Area

Our exclusive members only area of the website includes lots of resources only available to our members  (password required)


Digital Care

If you need help completing your Data Security Protection Toolkit (DSPT), Accessing the Digital Transformation fund  or are not quite sure how to set up an NHS Mail account, we can help



DIGITAL CARE

Jobs and Recruitment

Association  Members can advertise their job vacancies on our Proud 2 Care job site and exhibit at our Proud to Care careers roadshows.



CURRENT VACANCIES

Useful Information

The Association keeps a library of useful documents and guidance from CQC and other bodies for members use. (members password needed)




USEFUL INFO

International Recruitment

Click the button below to find our more about the free resources and funding available to help you with international recruitment

LEARN MORE

Members Marketplace

We all have items that we need to dispose of from time to time, or we've ordered too much from a supplier. Rather than go to waste why not see if one of our members can make use of it

MEMBERS MARKETPLACE

Well Being Hubs

Resources available in your local area for you and your staff




WELLBEING

Registered Managers

The Association in partnership with Skills for Care runs a registered managers network that covers the Black Country. Its a great opportunity to network and gain support. For more information click below



REGISTERED MANAGERS
i care Ambassadors

i care Ambassadors are care workers who champion what it is like to work in the care sector. To be an i care ambassador is very rewarding. For more information click below



I CARE AMBASSADORS
WDF Partnership

WMCA is the Workforce Development Fund Partnership for the West Midlands. This means you can claim funding through us  from Skills for Care to go towards staff training and qualifications



WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

Jobs and Recruitment

Proud to Care is an exciting new initiative aimed at connecting our members across the West Midlands with those who are looking to pursue a career in Care.


This new website - which is optimised for those looking for care vacancies - has been set up by the Care Association for our members to post their vacancies on. We carry out regular social media and local advertising to drive job seekers to the site


Member Benefits


West Midlands Care Association members can post their vacancies free of charge to the site and we have also collated advice on recruitment within the members area of this website


Proud to Care Roadshows


The Care Association runs regular recruitment roadshows around the region. WMCA members can exhibit free of charge at the events. Details of any upcoming events are posted in our events listings

VISIT THE PROUD TO CARE WEBSITE

The West Midlands Social Care International Recruitment Hub is a free centralised resource (funded via WM ADASS) that offers care providers access to a range of international recruitment resources.


Regional Recruitment Hub


Provided by West Midlands Employers, the hub offers free HR and legal advice on international recruitment, including webinars


Free DBS for International Recruits


West Midlands Care Association has funding to offer free DBS searches for international recruits. All you need to do is be signed up to our DBS service


Buddying Scheme


Apply for a small cash grant to support buddying activities withing your organisation (certain West Midlands local authorities only)

MORE INFORMATION

Local Information

If you are looking for information on the Local Authorities and ICBs that we cover click on the links below

Digital Care Programmes

Digital Transformation Fund (DISC)

There is funding available to CQC registered care providers looking to move from paper records to electronic forms of record keeping and care planning known as a Digital Social Care Record (DSCR).


A DSCR can save your staff valuable time wasted on routine administrative tasks as it makes information readily available at the point of care. Having a DSCR in place can also support improvements in the safety and quality of care which is centred around the individual.


The West Midlands Care Association is working closely with our local ICBs in administering this fund. More details can be found by clicking the button below.


We also run events about the fund, details of which will be in the events section of this website.






Digitising Social Care

Better Security Better Care

Need help with the DSPT?


Better Security, Better Care is a national and local support programme to help adult social care providers to store and share information safely. It covers paper and digital records and focuses on helping care providers to complete the Data Security and Protection Toolkit – the annual, online self-assessment.


You do not have to be a data or digital expert to get support. The programme can support you – wherever you are on your data security journey.


West Midlands Care Association is your local support organisation, and offers a raft of online resources, workshops and one to one support, all of which is free to CQC registered providers. 


Find out more by clicking the button below.

Better Security Better Care
Events and Training

Events

West Midlands Care Association runs events and training for our members and the wider care industry throughout the year

You can see a list of all our upcominmg events and training on the right hand side of this page. Or use the buttons below to see specific types of events


Conferences

WMCA run several large scale conferences each year, aimed at Care Homes and Domicilicary Care providers. They are a great opportunity to network with other providers and meet representatives from local authorities, health and suppliers from across the West Midlands.

Upcoming Conferences


Workshops

We organise workshops in partnership with trusted suppliers to cascade information and training about new or upcoming legislation

Upcoming Workshops


Proud to Care Recruitment Roadshows


We organise regular careers roadshows aimed at those looking for a career or employment in care. WMCA members can exhibit at these roadshows free of charge. Allowing them to connect with prospective new employees

Upcoming Recruitment Roadshows


Networks


In partnership with Skills for Care we run regular networking meetings for the local Registered Managers Networks in the Black Country and Herefordshire and Worcestershire. For more details click here

Upcoming Network Meetings


Digital Care support


The West Midlands Care Association is the Local Support Organisation for Better Security Better Care - a national program of support to help you with your digital compliance by completing the Data Security Protection Toolkit (DSPT). Just look for the DSPT logo in the event listings for helpful webinars and workshops. For further information on the DSPT support we offer click here


We are also supporting the roleout of the Digital Transformation Fund (DISC) and we run regular information events to support this


Upcoming Digital Events


International Recruitment


The West Midlands Care Association is working with WM Employers to promote a series of webinars supporting international recuitment. For more details click below


International Recruitment Events

We are normally able to offer sponsorship and exhibiting opportunities at most of our events. You can find more information on our Advertising Page .


All Upcoming Events and Training:

by Keiron Broadbent 10 Mar, 2024
19 March 2024 10.00am - 11.00am
01 Mar, 2024
19 March 2024 12:00pm - 3:00pm
by Keiron Broadbent 20 Feb, 2024
20 March 2024 11.30am - 12.30pm
by Keiron Broadbent 10 Feb, 2024
21 March 2024 2.00pm - 3.00pm
01 Feb, 2024
21 March 2024 2:00pm - 4:30pm
by Keiron Broadbent 20 Jan, 2024
26 March 2024 10.00am - 11.00am
by Keiron Broadbent 10 Jan, 2024
27 March 2024 11.30am - 12.30am
by WMCA Events 01 Jan, 2024
28 March 2024 2.00pm - 3.00pm
20 Dec, 2023
3 April 2024 10:00am - 11:00am
More Events
Advice on Finding Care and Legal Planning

Finding care for yourself or a family member can be daunting prospect.


Help Me Find Care is a new website that we have set up to give you some advice on finding care along with a directoy of our member care providers and advice on the steps you need to take to protect yourself and your family legally including power of attorney and making a will

West Midlands Care Association DBS Service

Fast Online Criminal Records Checks

West Midlands Care Association DBS System

The WMCA DBS System allows employers to submit electronic applications and quickly receive the results.

WMCA offer Care Providers, a self administered system which can be accessed 24 hours a day. Users have their own secure control panel from where they can add new candidates, monitor the progress of their applications a more importantly see the results as they come in.


Most importantly our staff understand the Care Industry so can answer your DBS questions in a way generic services cannot

For more information click the buttons on the right

FREE DBS for international recruits. click here for more details

Contact Us

West Midlands Care Association
Globe House
Park Lane
Halesowen

B63 2RA


Office Hours:

Monday - Friday 9.00am-5.00pm

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