To ask the Minister of Health to detail how his Department plans to support mature applicants and those changing career into the social work profession, in order to address persistent staff shortages across the Health and Social Care Trusts.

The Department of Health provides an Incentive Scheme for student social workers who are domicile and studying full-time in Northern Ireland. A key objective of the Scheme is to attract more mature students by meeting some of the costs associated with full-time study. Applicants can access a non-means tested allowance of £4,000 for each year of their study. They are also awarded £500 per year to cover expenses whilst on Practice Learning placements. Student Incentive Scheme payments are in addition to any student finance support, which can be applied for separately.

Since 2020 the Department has also been commissioning training places for social workers with the Open University NI. This new route into social work has proved very attractive to more mature and experienced social care workers already in employment with HSC Trusts as it allows them to remain in post while they study. To date, more than one hundred social care workers from HSC Trusts have availed of the Open University route.