CPD Bursary for Social Care
If you work in social care in Scotland, you could be eligible for our CPD Bursary.
For a limited time, you can apply for a fully-funded place on one of our short courses:
- Evidence-Based Practice in a Digital Age; or
- Systems of Digital Care.
Learn how data can improve the quality of care you provide, and collect digital SSSC Open Badges along the way.
- Have you dreamed of being confident in using data and evidence to improve your practice?
- Do you want to learn what data and evidence-led practice can offer to people you support?
- Do you think data and evidence should be used to inform improvement in social care?
- Are you looking for career development opportunities in social care?
Apply today for your chance to study one of our short courses for free (normally £360)
To be eligible, you must be working in a social care service (or related role) in Scotland and we must receive your application by the closing date.
CPD Social Care bursary applications are currently closed.
I am delighted that the University of Edinburgh has developed and put on these two CPD courses. There has never been a more important time for social care practitioners to develop their knowledge and learning in relation to the role of technology, digital and data in the delivering of care and support. I hope practitioners will consider these courses which will give them the opportunity to further their skills and knowledge as well as to continue to embed a rights-based person-led approach to their work.
This is a fantastic course with excellent information for any one in the care sector. Plenty of lecturers to assist if you should require
Click the headings to learn more, or scroll down to start your application.
Flexible learning
Both Evidence-Based Practice in a Digital Age and Systems of Digital Care are delivered fully online, which means that you can study when it suits you best, at your own pace.
You'll gain access to all learning materials when you log in to our Virtual Learning Environment (VLE), so you can complete each chapter whenever you're ready to be assessed.
You can access our online VLE on a computer or by downloading an App to your mobile device. For this bursary, we suggest that you dedicate approximately 30 hours of study time between March 2024 and June 2024. Study time includes different activities like reading course materials, watching recorded videos, reflecting on learning and applying for Open Badges. You can start your learning as soon as you have your place, and will have 3 months to complete your chosen course, from the 11th of March 2024 until the end of June 2024.
The navigation and progression of the topics made studying interesting and enlightening. Great course.
No prerequisites
This bursary is suitable for everyone working in Scottish social care services. Our courses are delivered online, and we welcome applicants from all backgrounds—including those who are new to learning at a university.
If you already hold an SVQ or HNC in a relevant social services subject, you may be particularly well suited to this CPD opportunity.
To make the most of your learning, we strongly suggest that you are:
- sufficiently fluent in English reading, listening and writing
- comfortable with and have access to a computer or mobile phone with reliable internet access
- confident about the idea of exploring and applying theories and principles related to data and evidence.
Informed by SSSC registration requirements
We engaged with the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) when designing these courses, and we regularly review our content to ensure it meets industry best practice.
We issue SSSC Open Badges to help you gain recognition for your learning, and you can easily put your learning towards your Continuous Professional Learning (CPL) requirements.
Throughout the course, you’ll have opportunities to scan QR codes in the SSSC MyLearning app to create learning logs, which you can save and share with others throughout your career.
You don't need to be registered with SSSC to create an Open Badge and MyLearning account.
Learn more about the SSSC Open Badges
Promoting professional standards
We work closely with the Federation for Informatics Professionals in Health and Social Care (FEDIP), a collaboration between leading professional bodies (AphA, BCS, CILIP, FCI, IHRIM and Socitm), who are on a mission to promote professional standards in health and care informatics.
By working together, we ensure that our courses are relevant and practical. In addition to this bursary, we offer a range of shorter, free Byte Size Learning that you can try, or tell colleagues about. These courses are hosted on the FEDIP Hub.
Visit our CPD page to learn about our Byte Size Learning
Enabling digital transformation
Mastering data skills can help you improve the quality of the care that you provide, and help your team contribute to the Scottish Government's digital strategy for health and social care.
Why not share this page with your manager when requesting time off to study?
We recommend that employees are given approximately 3 hours a week between 11th March to 30th June 2024 to complete the course. Each SSSC Open Badge should take between 5-7.5 hours of CPL to attain.
If you're an employer, get in touch to discuss how we can work together to drive data-driven innovation in your workplace!
Read about the Scottish Government's Health and Social Care Data Strategy
Step 1: Choose your course
Do you want to improve or optimise the care that you deliver, through evidence-based practice?
- Video: Evidence based practice in a digital age
- Sharon Levy - evidence based practice short video
This course will guide you to deliver a project within your own setting and provide you with an opportunity to explore and understand how digital technologies can be harnessed to support the development and delivery of optimal care in the future. You will also benefit from the opportunity to reflect on your own current and future learning needs.
The course consists of four chapters to be followed in sequence:
- Understanding Evidence-Based Practice
- Applying research findings to practice
- Scoping your own proposed enquiry concerning technology enabled care
- Horizon scanning and informed decision making
Assessment
Each chapter is assessed through the submission of a short reflective account of your learning.
You can collect up to five digital badges - one for each chapter, and an additional one on completion of the full course indicating the level of knowledge and skills you have attained. You will need to apply for these badges through the SSSC Open Badges website, where they can be curated in your online badges account (and the free MyLearning app if you have this) to demonstrate your CPL.
Relatable and Relevant in this age of digital technology as a platform for care planning!
What can you do with the information that you generate and collect as part of your daily work?
- Video: Systems of digital care
- Introduction to Systems of digital care - Sharon Levy - for website
Everyday delivery of health and social care services generate and use millions of data items, which can be transformed into information that is shared with both people experiencing care and care providers. However, this same data could also be used to create new knowledge on which future evidence-based practice can be developed.
This course will provide you with new knowledge and skills to explore how routinely collected data can provide an evidence base for improvements in health and social care. It will also cover practical skills to ensure you manage data safely and securely in accordance with the law and professional guidelines.
The course is made up of six chapters:
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Generating healthcare data from preconception to beyond the grave
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Transforming collected data to relevant healthcare information available at the right time in the right place
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Storing healthcare information safely and securely and building meaningful data repositories
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Using healthcare information to make the right decisions
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Horizon scanning for new knowledge gains
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Healthcare Information Futures
Assessment
Each chapter is assessed through online quizzes and once the minimum score is reached, you will be able to submit a short reflective account of your learning that is assessed for the award of a SSSC Open Badge.
You can collect up to seven digital badges - one for each chapter, and an additional one on completion of the full course indicating the level of knowledge and skills you have attained. You will need to apply for these badges through the SSSC Open Badges website, where they can be curated in your online badges account (and the free MyLearning app if you have this) to demonstrate your CPL.
If you're fascinated about data and data insights, this course will help you understand how to use data within the social care setting.
Step 2: Complete the application form
Ready to apply?
CPD Bursary for Social Care applications are currently closed.
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Things you should know
If you're offered a place on the bursary, you'll need to complete your chosen course by the specified end date.
We'll ask you to engage with the CPD team after you complete your learning, as we’re interested in understanding whether the bursary changes anything related to your career or your workplace. We would also love the opportunity to learn about your experience of studying with us, as your feedback will help us improve the content and/or marketing of our courses for future learners.
We understand that plans can change at short notice, so if you’re unable to complete the course by the deadline, you will need to contact us immediately to discuss the support we can offer, or so we can transfer your place to another learner who may benefit from the course. If we don’t hear from you, any future funding may be denied.
Your eligibility will be assessed at the time of application and determined by your role in social care, as well as the number of places available at the time of submitting your application – so don’t delay.
About the DDI HSC Talent Programme
The Data-Driven Innovation Health and Social Care (DDI HSC) Talent programme delivers high quality learning and development opportunities to drive the use of data and digital technologies in the health and social care sectors.
40 bursaries have been made available to help the social care workforce harness the power of data to enhance the vital care and support they provide. This funding aims to provide opportunities for those working in social care services, but we also welcome applicants in other relevant roles, like personal assistants, as well as unpaid carers who wish to enhance, refresh or develop new digital technology skills and deliver compassionate person-centred care in a digital age.
If you don’t meet the criteria for this bursary, you may wish to join our upcoming cohort as a self-funded learner. To apply, click through to your preferred course on our main CPD page:
Explore other learning opportunities for professionals in Health and Social Care