On the latest report from Skills for Care, “The Size and Structure of the Adult Social Care Workforce in England 2023/24,” Karolina Gerlich, CEO of The Care Workers’ Charity, says:
“It is encouraging to see a decrease in vacant posts of 22,000. That the main driver behind this is international recruitment suggests two things to me. One is that we need to show a greater level of support for people coming internationally to work in the care sector. We hope that measures such as not allowing care workers to be accompanied by their family will be removed and that the wellbeing of those providing care and support will be better prioritised. Secondly, we know that while contributing significantly to the care sector, international recruitment is not a silver bullet. There must be concurrent investment in training and development as well as real incentives for experienced long-term staff to stay in their roles.
It is notable that vacancy levels in adult social care are higher than NHS vacancies and most other employment sectors across the UK. This is not surprising when care work is continually listed as one of the lowest paying roles in the UK and paid, on average, 36% less than for NHS equivalent roles. Care workers we speak to continually tell us despite some of the challenges of their role, they love the jobs they do. We must support them to stay in these roles through improved pay, value, and recognition for the important work they do.”