Training for Jobcentre Plus: meeting the needs of carers

This article discusses the aims and objectives of the new working-age agency, Jobcentre Plus, and the challenges faced by staff in the former Employment Service and Benefits Agency in delivering on its vision of a work-focused service designed to reach 'hard to help' groups. It looks at the training needs of staff involved in the new service, and how the Jobcentre Plus Stakeholder Forum contributed to identifying them. It considers some of the early successes and problems in this process, and then goes on to explore the needs of one particular client group, carers. Finally, it describes an innovative partnership project, led by Carers UK, that will support Jobcentre Plus in meeting those needs.