RECRUITMENT Better Together
Social care recruitment cannot be solved in isolation, says Rob Finney, Chief Operating Officer at Tristone Healthcare. We need a collective effort from everyone now.
When you search for social care jobs, you’re not just met with thousands of opportunities but tens of thousands of opportunities. Regardless of the location, entry level, or type of social care role, businesses are crying out for good quality people across every region in the UK.
It’s fair to say, as with many sectors at the moment, that it’s a candidate-driven market. But the problem is the candidates are simply not there. You can blame Brexit, Covid-19, or a multitude of other factors, such as funding and Government support, but the reality is, as an industry, we have been starved of talent for a number of years and it’s having a profound impact across the entire social care spectrum.
We’re not alone in feeling the talent pinch. Other areas of the economy are equally facing pressure to resource services properly, whether it’s logistics, manufacturing, or retail. The cost of living crisis is adding considerable pressure to businesses and organisations as they try and support employees and incentivise them to stay in the role. But the issue that we’re facing in social care is much more deep-rooted.
For a long time, we have lacked the financial fire power and the slick branding designed to attract the cream of the crop. Yes, the Government has dabbled in fancy marketing campaigns in a bid to appeal to young, talented individuals looking for an inspiring career, where they can make a tangible difference to the lives of vulnerable individuals – and yet we remain in the same position.
some cases are being placed in unregistered homes, without regulatory oversight.
Ofsted Chief Inspector Amanda Spielman said: “Children’s social care has been plagued by workforce challenges for some time. But we have seen these issues accelerate in recent years, with more social workers moving to agency contracts, and residential workers leaving the sector entirely.
“A workforce strategy and improved support for disabled children and those with mental health needs, and their families, are more urgent than ever.”
“We mustn’t let the issue of recruitment become a rolling
problem that arises every year and is pushed down the tracks due to a lack of commitment.”
“For a long time, we have lacked the financial fire power and
the slick branding designed to attract the cream of the crop.”
This is not exclusive to certain types of social care businesses; it cannot be solved by individual organisations; it has to be a collective effort driven centrally by the political powers, otherwise we are at risk of falling deeper into a recruitment crisis.
In fact, even Ofsted has joined in the debate with a recent report stating that the pandemic has exacerbated long- standing staffing challenges in children’s social care. It claims that these issues could have serious consequences on the number of suitable placements available and the different needs staff are able to support. As a result, some children are living in places where their needs are not being met, and in
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A workforce strategy has been mooted before. Last year, leaders in the adult social care sector came together for the first time to set out what they felt should be included in a national workforce strategy/people plan. This is designed to encourage a ‘health and care workforce to continue to collaborate and deliver together’, while supporting staff, and ultimately the people and families who draw on the services.
Together, leaders of the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS), Care Provider Alliance (CPA), Care and Support Alliance (CSA), Local Government Association (LGA), Skills for Care, Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) and Think Local Act Personal (TLAP) set out how the Government can reform social care and its workforce so that it’s fit for the 21st century. As Angela Buxton, Executive Director of people at the learning disability charity Mencap, said: “Care workers are the foundation of a high-quality social care system.”
The strategy looks at staff recognition, value and reward; investment in training, qualification and support; career pathways and development; building and enhancing social justice, equality, diversity and inclusion in the workforce; and effective workforce planning across the whole social care workforce.
While this strategy focuses specifically on adult social care, it resonates with the entire sector, and shines a light on the value of people within the social care environment.
www.tomorrowscare.co.uk
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