Budget 2009: Young unemployed to be enticed into social care

Social care providers will be subsidised to offer employment and training to young people who have been out of work for a year or more under the CareFirst scheme, announced as part of today's Budget. The scheme is part of a wider move to guarantee under-25s who have been out of work for a year a job or training opportunity.

Julie Jones, chief executive of the Social Care Institute for Excellence, said: "The Chancellor is right to point to a new generation of workers who are being attracted to the social care profession and so the investment announced today is more than welcome, especially because of high vacancy rates in the sector. It's now up to us to make sure we skill them up and keep them in social care."