A new grant for employers aims to give young unemployed people a chance at securing social care jobs.

Social care employers will get £1,000 for taking on a young person who is struggling to find work under the new Care First Careers Initiative.

Announced on the the 26th of January by the Minister for Care Services and the Minister for Work and Pensions, the initiative hopes to help tackle rising levels of young persons unemployment whilst meeting the growing demand for  qualified social workers and other social care staff at local authorities across the country.

In addition to the cash incentive for employers, the scheme will give young recruits additional pre-employment training for social care jobs. Funding for the initiative is coming from the Government's young person's job fund. This will make £75 million available to fund up to 50,000 jobs for unemployed people between 18 and 24, with a promised guarantee that those who have been looking for work for six months will get a job offer, work experience or training.

Phil Hope, the Care Services Minister, said the initiative was essential to meeting the growing demand for adult care.

"The population is ageing" he said. "For the first time we have more over 65's than under 18's. The Government is planning a new National Care Service to meet the growing demand for adult care - we need to get the next generation of care staff in place now".

The launch of the initiative will be supported by a series of eleven regional events this February, taking place across England, Scotland and Wales. Adult social care employers from each region will be invited to learn more about the scheme and about the benefits of employing young people in social care jobs.

"Care services offer challenging and rewarding careers, from managing care homes to supporting older and disabled people to live independently in their own homes" said Minister Hope. "I hope Care First Careers will encourage more young people to consider a future in care and help give them the leg-up they need to get started".