Empowering care through technology: The vital role of digital skills in adult social care

The rapid rise of digital technology has transformed nearly every aspect of our lives, including how we manage our homes, communicate, work, and engage in leisure activities.

Adult social care is also undergoing significant change as it embraces the opportunities that new technologies provide. These advancements are streamlining business operations and empowering people who draw on care and support, essentially reshaping how services are delivered and experienced.

Equipping social care staff at all levels with essential digital skills is more important than ever. To fully embrace the benefits of these technologies, employees must develop the confidence and competencies to effectively use digital tools. Central to this shift is the development of digital leadership, which plays a crucial role in driving the sector’s growth. As leaders become more skilled in digital practices, they can better guide their teams and create an environment where digital innovation thrives.

Skills for Care is committed to supporting this transformation by offering a range of resources designed to help those working in adult social care enhance their digital skills. By focusing on both leadership development and broader digital competency, the sector can achieve better outcomes for care providers and people drawing on care and support.

Digital Skills eLearning

To support adult social care staff to develop their knowledge and confidence in using digital technology, Skills for Care was commissioned by the NHS Transformation Directorate to develop a suite of free-to-access ‘bitesize’ digital skills eLearning modules, in line with the Digital Skills Framework.

The eLearning modules were shaped and co-developed with people within adult social care, including care providers, local authorities, people drawing on care and support and subject matter experts. The modules are designed to support people working in adult social care to gain knowledge and understanding on how digital, data and technology is used in the sector.

They are free to access, with the opportunity to receive a completion certificate at the end of each module (or a single certificate for all seven modules if they are all completed).

Find out more about the eLearning

Digital Leadership Programme

The Digital Leadership programme is a national development between Skills for Care and The National Care Forum for both new and experienced managers of adult social care services.

The four day learning programme will support managers to have the underpinning skills, knowledge and models of digital leadership that can be practically applied when implementing technology in a care service and promote best practice.

It will improve confidence in identifying how digital technology supports the delivery of quality care and will enable managers to identify technology in the market, understand the barriers to technology adoption and how an organisation may choose to address them.

The programme includes an emphasis on reflection, helping individuals to learn from their day-to-day experiences and think about how they can do things differently or get better at recognising what they do well.

Book your place on the next cohort, starting on Thursday 19 September 2024.

Explore the digital section of our website to discover more.

Print this page