Simon Bottery, Senior Fellow, The King's Fund commented on the annual Skills for Care The state of the adult social care sector and workforce in England report
‘This report shows why a long-term workforce strategy for social care is desperately needed. While the total number of vacancies has fallen slightly, this is only because 70,000 staff were recruited from overseas to fill gaping holes in the workforce. This is not a long-term solution to staffing the sector. And despite this overseas recruitment drive, vacancies are still much higher compared to other sectors, meaning that many people will struggle to get the care they need.
‘The sector's workforce continues to be characterised by high turnover rates and low pay with limited opportunities for career advancement - a typical care worker is earning only 6p an hour more after five years' experience than a new starter. The sector is still attracting too few men and younger people, and zero-hours contracts remain widespread.
‘These serious workforce issues are symptomatic of a wider social care crisis, with more people requesting support but fewer people getting it, local authorities paying providers too little for the quality services that are required, and desperately low levels of public satisfaction with social care. Wider reform and improved funding are needed if social care is to operate as part of a modern health and care system that maximises the health and wellbeing of its citizens. '
‘As announced, Skills for Care will be developing a new and comprehensive strategy for the social care workforce and we are delighted to be working with them to help take that forward.'