The panel
Annette Baines, programme head of recruitment and retention at Skills for Care
Nina Osborne, individual employer
Peter Beresford, co-chair at Shaping Our Lives and professor of social policy at Brunel University London
Stephen Goulder, director of operations at the Social Care Institute for Excellence
Dominique Kent, director of operations at The Good Care Group
Helen Cubitt, human resources advisor at FitzRoy
Laura Gardiner, senior research and policy analyst, Resolution Foundation
What are the biggest challenges for recruitment and retention in social care?
Nina Osborne: “There are many challenges but by far the most challenging is overcoming the negative perceptions about care and what it is like to work in the sector. Although it is undoubtedly not the best paid work at entry level, the range of interesting and fulfilling jobs that really enhance people’s lives is large.”
Helen Cubitt: “The reason our managers cite most is pay, particularly in areas where our services are rural and candidates cannot afford to run a vehicle to get them to work. If transport links are poor, we struggle to recruit to these roles.”
Laura Gardiner: “In terms of retention, I’d add that social care doesn’t offer a very strong career pathway for those looking to earn more and develop theirs skills, so many choose to move out into sectors with clearer pathways, like health.”
What is the role of pay?
Dominique Kent: “Working in care is hard and as providers we have a responsibility to ensure we raise the profile of this sector as a really rewarding place to work. That needs to come through the rates of pay we offer and, very importantly, the employee engagement strategies we put in place. This is an undervalued workforce who should be paid more than the minimum wage.”
Gardiner: “I’m currently conducting a project looking at the costs and benefits of better pay and conditions for the social care workforce. We’re pretty sure we’ve found a link between direct care worker pay levels and staff turnover; higher pay leads to lower turnover within providers. Many assume this to be true but to have some hard evidence will be really helpful for making our case.”
Peter Beresford: “How can policymakers expect a strong workforce when the majority of workers have conditions that are either no better or inferior to unskilled, undervalued supermarket shelf stacking work and are paid around or below minimum wage? This is the issue long-term no government has seemed prepared to acknowledge.”
How can we improve the image of the sector?
Annette Baines: “The issues of image and profile remain a challenge. Many people are not sure about the range of rewarding job opportunities and progression routes that exist within the sector. Unfortunately, the sector suffers from bad press with only the negative stories being reported. We need to do more to celebrate the good work and positive examples of dedicated care workers and the work they do to support others who need care and support services.”
Kent: “I came from out of the sector and every day has its challenges but making a difference makes up for every single one of those. We need to get some of the better news stories out there. I am working alongside 13 other live-in care providers and we have formed a collective information hub to do this as well as raise awareness of this option of care. We have to work together to achieve this.”
Beresford: “Of course bad news grabs attention. If you are an older or disabled person vulnerable to bad behaviour from anyone coming into your home, then you fear any possibility of abuse. We should use the bad news stories to exert pressure for a sustainable workforce from politicians and policymakers, instead of pretending all’s OK and trying to cover the problems with cosy stories.”
Career pathways
Kent: “We need to keep people in the roles they love and create pathways for those that want to grow and develop beyond their roles – a good mix of internal development and bringing in external new fresh ideas we find really works.”
Beresford: “There needs to be a real career structure; a real sign that there are developmental opportunities. Particularly staying in practice for social care workers, not just going out into management. That is the sign of a mature occupation and a feasible workforce.”
Gardiner: “We might be able to learn some lessons from the US, where there was a detailed evaluation of extended career ladders in the long-term care sector.”
Looking to the future
Baines: “I think it is important that we remember the sheer diversity of employers within the social care sector and not assume that they are all experiencing the same things at the same time. Some undoubtedly are struggling on a daily basis to recruit and retain and the right people, but we cannot attempt to take a one-size-fits-all approach. There is no single solution to solving this issue and we must look at this across the spectrum from pre-employment initiatives, workforce planning, innovative target and attraction programmes, values based recruitment and retention, strong leadership and management, supportive performance management and so on.”
Beresford: “Social care work may be poorly paid, but it is often the most sensitive, complex and difficult work to do. It can be stressful, frightening and deeply challenging, leaving people feeling inadequate and even unnecessarily guilty. It is really time this was highlighted. The brilliance of some appallingly rewarded care workers is amazing and must not still be traded on. Please let us remember this and give them the priority in real terms they deserve.”
Gardiner: “In terms of pay, ultimately improvements will have to come, in part, from a better national public funding settlement for the sector. Our research is putting a cost on this, but we’re also trying to show how it will lead to savings down the line that will offset some of the costs - more income tax revenues, less money spent on recruitment within providers, lower NHS spending if greater care continuity enhances quality. Demonstrating how savings can result from paying workers more is key to getting all political parties to recognise the need for more funding.”
Discussion commissioned and controlled by the Guardian, hosted to a brief agreed with Skills for Care. Funded by Skills for Care
Why not join our social care community? Becoming a member of the Guardian Social Care Network means you get sent weekly email updates on policy and best practice in the sector, as well as exclusive offers. Sign up for free.
