Fair care: A workforce strategy for social care

Article

Adult social care is an essential public service and a growing part of our economy. However, the social care system in England faces a workforce crisis which is set to grow in the coming years; by 2028, we estimate there will be a shortage of over 400,000 workers in social care.

If we are to solve the workforce crisis, we need to deliver a sustainable long-term funding settlement for social care and a transformation of the social care workforce model. This should be based on the establishment of decent pay and terms and conditions through sectoral collective bargaining, and a professionalisation of the social care workforce.

In this report, we examine the challenges facing the social care workforce in England, and the evidence of the growing social care workforce crisis. We show that the poor conditions of the workforce is not just bad for workers; it is bad for quality of care too, and it is undermining the very sustainability of the system. We identify the root causes of the care workforce crisis, and then set out a workforce strategy to tackle the care workforce crisis, and to ensure that we are able to provide high-quality care for those who need it and high-quality work for those who provide it.

Related items

  1. The new politics of AI: Why fast technological change requires bold policy targets

    The upcoming AI Action Summit in Paris is an opportunity to show how we can harness artificial intelligence (AI) as a force for societal, economic, and environmental good.
  2. A young boy and girl entering the front door of a house, smiling. Their father carries a baby behind them

    The homes that children deserve: Housing policy to support families

    As the government seeks to develop a new child poverty strategy, it will need to grapple with housing – the single largest cost faced by families.
  3. A car park with a series of electric vehicle charging point parking spaces

    Powering up public support for electric vehicles

    Tackling greenhouse gas emissions will only work if public support for action remains strong. That means ensuring tangible improvements in people’s lives and heading off any brewing backlash.