Department of Health & Social Care (DHSC) international recruitment funding has been made available for a Small Grants Programme. This is now in place to enable local international recruitment support initiatives to be undertaken by West Midlands councils and care providers working in partnership to provide local support for international recruitment in:

  • Training and development
  • Support for refugees and international recruits who have lost their job due to their employer’s sponsor licence being revoked.
  • Pastoral support

The small grants projects have all been developed and tested to ensure they meet the conditions of the DHSC grant as well as meeting local needs and build on existing learning.

We will use this page to provide a summary of each local project so that learning can be tracked and shared.

SMALL GRANTS INTERNATIONAL RECRUITMENT PROJECTS IN PLACE ACROSS WEST MIDLANDS ADASS INCLUDE:

1. FREE DBS CHECKS FOR INTERNATIONAL RECRUITS

West Midlands Care Association (WMCA) – FREE international recruitment DBS checks:

From the 1st of November 2023 any new DBS searches for international recruits that you put on our DBS system that meet the criteria will be free of charge. For more information follow the link below: –

https://www.wmca.care/recruitment/international/resources/dbs

2. FUNDING & SUPPORT FOR BUDDYING SCHEME FOR INTERNATIONAL RECRUITS

International Recruitment has a different set of challenges compared to recruiting from within the UK, particularly in ensuring that the new recruits feel welcomed and are able to access pastoral support.

West Midlands Care Association has received funding from the WM International Recruitment Local Partnerships Programme to support buddying activities for international recruits within Adult Social Care Provider organisations. This is to enable more pastoral care that ensures international recruitment is a success.

This scheme is available to care providers who are:

  • CQC registered.
  • have a sponsorship licence.
  • who have international recruits?

and are located within the following local authorities (LAs):

  • Birmingham
  • Dudley
  • Herefordshire
  • Sandwell
  • Walsall
  • Wolverhampton
  • Worcestershire

Providers meeting these conditions will be able to apply for a small cash grant to support buddying activities. For more details click the link below:

https://www.wmca.care/recruitment/international/resources

The following projects have also been developed under the Small Grants Programme between other LAs and their care associations:

  1. STAFFORDSHIRE & STOKE ON TRENT LAs: Pastoral Support and social care nurse recruitment.
  2. SHROPSHIRE TELFORD & WREKIN LAs: support for displaced international recruits due to sponsor licence revocation collaborating with Partners in Care Association (SPIC) and Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB)
  3. COVENTRY & WARWICKSHIRE LAs: support for displaced international recruits due to sponsor licence revocation & for refugee employment into adult social care
  4. SOLIHULL LA: pastoral care and resources for international recruits
  1. HEREFORDSHIRE LA: training and support for ASC providers on IR