Brussels, 12/11/2010 (Agence Europe) - Workers and employers must improve their competences if they are to provide quality social care services. Such is the content of the study published on 9 November by the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (CEDEFOP, Thessaloniki). Entitled “Quality assurance in the social care sector: the role of training”, the study analyses the competences required (skills, knowledge and attitudes) by social service managers and front-line workers in community-based services. The study also identifies innovative training programmes and makes policy recommendations for improving training in the field.
The CEDEFOP study notes that the demand for care services has greatly increased, above all for the most vulnerable persons - the elderly (in Germany), the homeless (in the United Kingdom), and persons with disabilities (in Poland, Portugal and Sweden). This has resulted in healthcare services becoming a great job provider. In the EU, over 21 million people are employed in the social services and healthcare, which is a 24% increase since 2000 and 10% of the total workforce in 2009. The study also notes that women make up 78.5% of those employed in the social sector. (G.B./transl.jl)