Accessibility 
We are delighted that Kent and Medway’s groundbreaking Assistive Technology for Social Care further education programme has been nominated for the Public Sector Trailblazer category in this year’s Connected Britain Awards.
The programme, which teaches students to use assistive technology in the delivery of care services, formed the central case study in Policy Connect and the APPG for Assistive and Accessible Technology’s (APPGAT) ATech Skills for Care report published last December.
Its development drew on the findings of our 2022 Smarter Homes for Independent Living report. This identified the need for better tech education and training for the care workforce to make sure that disabled and older people can enjoy the benefits of smart devices and other technologies that can help them lead more independent and fulfilling lives.
Why assistive technology skills matter
Since the 1960s, disabled people have called on government and wider society to live independently – as wherever and however they wish. Assistive technology can be vital in helping people achieve greater independence. But it can only do so when the support networks around them have the skills necessary to help them take advantage of tech.
One of the main findings of our Smarter Homes report was that care staff often don’t have these skills because technology rarely features in their training and professional development.
Inside Kent and Medway’s Assistive Technology for Social Care programme
Launched in autumn 2024, Kent and Medway’s programme shows how technology could become a routine part of the care workforce’s education and training.
The programme developed a bespoke curriculum that gives learners the specialised knowledge, skills, and competencies needed to use assistive technology ethically and responsively. The curriculum caters for new starters as well as existing professionals in the sector.
Students get hands-on experience using assistive technologies in dedicated classrooms turned into Independent Living Smart Spaces, specially created by smart home and independent living technology experts, Automated Spaces. These are equipped with technologies disabled and older people use every day.
Policy momentum behind care technology training
Since Policy Connect and the APPGAT first began exploring the role of tech in care, policymakers have accepted our recommendations to provide care staff with more training opportunities. For example, last spring the government Department for Health and Social Care announced a Level 5 Award in Understanding Digital Leadership in Adult Social Care.
Earlier this summer, the Department of Health and Social Care formally recognised Care Technologist in its care workforce pathway, setting out the skills and expertise needed to deliver technology in a care setting. In July, the government’s Rewiring the State policy paper confirmed plans to give local leaders control of the skills budget for 16-to 19-year-olds while also giving them new powers to shape vocational and technical education for young people aged 14 and older.
Taken together, these changes will make it easier for more local areas and regions to follow in Kent and Medway’s footsteps.
