CWDC offers £1.5m of funding for children's social care training

The money is part of the Increasing Skills in Social Care Fund and is available to independent, private and voluntary social care organisations.

The fund is also available to foster care providers, including local authorities, that are registering foster carers to take Level 3 qualifications.

Steve Crisp, CWDC director of sector delivery, said: "The fund will be used to support those working on the frontline often with some of the most vulnerable children, and enable them to take suitable qualifications such as the new Level 3 Diploma for the Children and Young People's Workforce."

Since being launched two years ago, the fund has spent £5m to support 6,000 social care workers.

The latest funding round is available for staff who will start training between 20 September and 19 November.

Eligible qualifications include Level 4 NVQs in health and social care (children and young people) and leadership and management.