Throughout May and June Skills for Care is focusing on wellbeing support for people working in social care.
Over the next two months Skills for Care is highlighting resources, information, and inspiration to help everyone working across social care to be happier at work, and to support their colleagues and teams too.
We’ve put together a round-up of some key resources which can support managers and individuals. You can find signposts to all of this on our website.
Workforce wellbeing finder
You can find a wide range of resources to support with wellbeing on our Workforce wellbeing finder. This handy tool directs to a large database of information to support with mental wellbeing. The resources cover leading for wellbeing, grief and bereavement, supporting your own and others’ mental health, and looking after your physical health.
Wellbeing sector stories
Our wellbeing sector stories round up real-life examples from different people across the social care sector about how they support wellbeing in their organisation and how they look after their own wellbeing.
Registered manager support
Registered managers play a vital role in social care, but it’s a role that we know can be challenging and at times isolating. That’s why Skills for Care focuses on providing a wide range of support for registered managers.
This includes regular webinars, many of which touch on wellbeing for you and your team and related topics such as effective supervision. The peer networks available for registered managers is something that we know managers find supportive. This includes our local Registered Managers Networks as well as our Facebook group and WhatsApp groups, plus our registered manager membership offer.
Effective supervision toolkit
Supervisions allow managers and team members to discuss any challenges or issues before they’re too big to deal with. They also allow an opportunity to reflect on achievements and set goals and learning opportunities for the future – all of which can help with staff motivation and job satisfaction.
There are many factors which ensure supervision is effective – from having a clear agenda to making sure supervisions happen on a regular basis.
Creating a positive workplace culture toolkit
Workplace culture is the character and personality of your organisation. It’s made up of your organisation’s leadership, values, traditions, beliefs, behaviours, and attitudes of the people in it. Having a positive workplace culture is key to delivering quality care and support and it plays an important role in supporting the wellbeing of your team.
NHS support
The NHS offers a wide range of expert advice for mental health on their website. This includes a personalised ‘mind plan’, and information specifically about wellbeing related to the COVID-19 pandemic. There’s also information about the connection between physical and mental health, and how supporting one can support the other, plus their ‘Five ways to wellbeing’ including connecting with others, being physically active, learning new skills, giving to others, and being present.
Guide to managing anxiety and stress in uncertain times
The Greater Manchester resilience hub has developed a six-page practical, plain English guide to managing stress, anxiety, and worry in uncertain times. It includes things you might notice, ways to look after yourself, information about stress, anxiety and worry, and tips to help.
Samaritans’ helpline
Social care workers in England can call the Samaritans’ dedicated confidential support line for free on 0800 069 6222, 7am–11pm every day.
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You can find more information and support to support with wellbeing on our website: www.skillsforcare.org.uk/wellbeing