National elderly homecare franchise Home Instead Senior Care has today gained royal recognition – with the receipt of an inaugural Princess Royal Training Award.

The brand new accolades from Princess Anne recognise organisations that demonstrate outstanding training and skills development programmes.

In their very first year, the awards have been granted to a total of 34 businesses – major brands spanning healthcare, retail and manufacture alongside charities.

Launched by the City & Guilds Group in January 2016 – the awards honour employers that have created lasting impact by successfully linking their skills development needs to business performance.

Home Instead Senior Care is thrilled to be the first homecare franchisor to receive an award in the programme’s very first year – with applications assessed across three ‘Hallmarks of Excellence’:

1. Training and learning and development is integral to business performance
2. The programme is delivered efficiently and effectively
3. The programme has an impact on the success of the organisation and its people

Other recipients of the inaugural awards include major brands such as Mercedes Benz, BAE systems, IBM, Unipart, Asda and Thomas Cook.

The Princess’ accolade follows on from news earlier this year that Home Instead Senior Care had received a Queen’s Award for Enterprise in recognition of the innovation its bespoke franchise model has brought to the care sector.

Visits typically last a minimum of one hour with Home Instead Senior Care, which also matches its elderly clients to CAREGivers based on common interests, backgrounds and hobbies.

Home Instead Senior Care’s commitment to innovation and best practice runs root and branch throughout its national network which includes 175 franchises. A programme of ongoing training and career development underpins its approach to its 8,000 CAREGivers. They are the very backbone of the homecare franchisor’s model – providing 5 million hours of person-centred care in clients’ homes across the UK each year.

Home Instead and its franchisees recognise that being an employer of choice involves providing training and development opportunities which enable and empower CAREGivers to deliver its unique relationship-led model of care – with confidence and compassion.

Training and development is embedded into its culture, from tailored induction sessions to bespoke qualifications such as its own City and Guilds Dementia qualification – developed in partnership with global experts.

All Home Instead’s CAREGivers work to a Personal Development Plan – part of the franchisor’s commitment to creating careers in care across its franchise network, which has 135 territories available.

The Princess Royal Training Award also recognises Home Instead Senior Care’s commitment to training in the wider community, having run Family Dementia Workshops for family members and members of the public across the UK – which have benefitted around 20,000 people to date.

Speaking about the winners, City & Guilds Group Chief Executive, Chris Jones said:
“Excellence doesn’t happen by chance. In today’s uncertain economy, more than ever, employers must align investment in training to the objectives of their business. Whether they’ve addressed a skills gap, improved productivity or developed new leaders to grow their businesses, the awarded organisations deserve to be recognised for their achievements.”

Trevor Brocklebank, Home Instead Senior Care Chief Executive, added: “Receiving royal recognition with two awards in 2016 underlines our franchise’s commitment to innovation and excellence in the care sector.

“We care about our clients and we care about our employees, commitment to training and development is an integral part of our mission, as we look to recruit tomorrow’s generation of CAREGiver to play their part in our mission.”

Princess Royal Training Award recipients will be presented with their awards at a prestigious awards ceremony at St James Palace on 24 November.