The care ambassador forums are due to be held shortly, on the following dates:

16th March 2010; MPH Media Centre, Gateshead

18th March 2010; TAD Centre, Middlesbrough

Skills for Care have given details of a programme of events they are holding for Social Work practitioners (including SW students, mentors, practice educators, those involved in PQ and CPD, et al) and managers, in February and March this year.

Places are still available at this half day Regional Apprenticeship event to be held on the morning of 3rd February 2010. This is a joint event with Skills for Care and the National Apprenticeship Service. The event will enable you to better understand how apprenticeships can benefit you, how to access, support and resources available. You will have the opportunity to have your questions answered.

Accept Care of Consett held their second Awards Event on December 2nd 2009. This was a particularly special event as one member of staff became the first County Durham recipient of the SKILLS for CARE LEARNER of the YEAR AWARD.

New Board members were elected at the 2009/10 Annual General Meeting. This morning Board meeting was extended to additional employer members of the Alliance. The day reviewed decha's achievements and coming challenges.

DON'T FORGET, This Autumn Roadshow has something for everyone, whether you have fully up dated, need to update or never registered there's something for you at the nmds-sc (National Minimum Data Set - Social Care) roadshow. The bus is fully equipped to allow you to login, upload data and edit any data currently logged to your establishment and there are staff there to support you through the process.

Compass NE are delivering seminars on the HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE ACT 2008 and the (REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS) REGULATIONS 2009

Serco would like to invite organisations from the private, public and third sectors who are interested in becoming part of their network of quality providers to deliver Flexible New Deal Part 2.

Find attached details of Skills for Care - Care Ambassador Induction Day to be held on 20th November at Gateshead and information about the second cohort of the Professional Practice Award starting in November. New ambassadors are welcome.

Accept Care Ltd are a Not for Profit organisation who are based in Consett. Accept Care offer adults with Learning Disabilities, Mental Health Issues and Challenging Behaviours their own tenancies at their purpose built supported living scheme. Staff employed by Accept Care then provide Domiciliary Care based upon individualised needs. Accept Care held the first, of what they hope will be regular, Celebration of Achievement Days for both staff and clients to celebrate achievements, both academic and personal, and recognise endeavour.

This event, held on June 23rd 2009, was very well attended and enthusiastically embraced. There were a number of excellent speakers delivering relevant and very interesting presentations.

On 30th April 2009 a major regional event was held at the Radisson Hotel in Durham City, to discuss the future of Social Work.

On behalf of the North East Mental Health Development Unit, I am pleased to be able to offer you and your colleagues two free awareness raising presentations as part of a national programme to develop high quality care and personalised services for older people.

The North East of England Skills Development Group successfully launched the Regional Infection Control Strategy at Hardwick Hall Hotel, on Thursday June 4th 2009. This was very enthusiastically welcomed by the attending sector members and applauded as a very useful and necessary resource.