Skills for Care publish annual sector report

Skills for Care have today published their annual ‘The state of the adult social care sector and workforce in England’ report, shedding a light on the impact of the pandemic on the social care workforce.

The report, which uses data provided by sector employers, provides an in-depth analysis of the social care workforce. This includes insightful statistics into the retention and recruitment challenges that are being faced across the care sector.

Data within the report reveals that 6.8% of roles in adult social care were vacant in 2020/21, which is the equivalent of 105,000 vacancies advertised on average per day. Notably, the vacancy rates have steadily risen since May 2021, as the wider economy opened back up following lockdown.

However, the report also emphasises the value of social care to the UK economy. As a growing market, the sector currently contributes £50.3 billion to the economy. Skills for Care recognizes how – now more than ever – we must properly reward the 1.54 million dedicated care sector workforce, who have worked tirelessly to protect others throughout the pandemic.

Within the report, Oonagh Smyth, CEO of Skills for Care, said:

“The pandemic has been tough for all of us but for people drawing on and working in social care, it has been a time of real challenge and heartache. But we have also seen people using the best of their skills, their incredible creativity, and their compassion to support people in our communities and families during COVID-19.

We should celebrate this. But we should also use the data in this report, collected during the pandemic, from employers to reflect on how, in the future, we can keep the best elements of new ways of working we’ve developed, the improved integration between services and improved personal relationships.

The pandemic highlighted the pressures on the social care workforce and the need for long-term investment and support to recognise and value people working in social care, to invest in their training and offer real career pathways. The pandemic showed the need to enhance social justice, equality, diversity and inclusion…We have a moment in time to shape a social care system that achieves our vision of a fair and just society, where people can access the advice, care and support they need to live life to the fullest.”

Find out more and read the full report here.