RECRUITMENT & RETENTION PATHWAY TO SUCCESS


With more than 100,000 vacancies still across England's adult social care sector, the new Care Workforce Pathway aims to provide clearer career progression and improve retention. But will a voluntary framework be enough to help employers attract and keep the skilled workforce they need?


Recruiting and retaining skilled care workers remains one of the greatest challenges facing adult social care. Although workforce pressures have eased in recent years, providers continue to compete for talent while looking for new ways to retain experienced staff.


According to the latest figures from Skills for Care, there were an estimated 111,000 vacancies in England's adult social care sector in 2024/25, representing a vacancy rate of 7%. While this is a significant improvement from the 10.5% peak seen in 2021/22, staff turnover remains high at 23.1%, equating to around 335,000 people leaving their roles over the course of a year. More than half (53%) of recruitment also comes from within the sector, highlighting how providers are oſten competing for the same pool of experienced workers rather than attracting new entrants.


Against this backdrop, the publication of Part 3 of the Care Workforce Pathway represents an important step towards strengthening recruitment and retention by creating clearer career opportunities for the adult social care workforce.


The latest phase introduces ten new role categories, extending the pathway beyond frontline care to include care technologists, activity co-ordinators and care-adjacent roles such as catering and maintenance. By recognising a wider range of careers that contribute to high-quality care, the pathway offers employers another tool to demonstrate that social care provides diverse, long-term career opportunities rather than simply entry-level jobs. For recruiters, that matters.


Career progression consistently ranks among the factors that influence whether people join an organisation and, crucially, whether they stay. A nationally recognised career structure can help employers demonstrate clear development opportunities during recruitment, giving prospective employees greater confidence that their skills and experience will be recognised as they progress.


However, sector leaders argue that the pathway still leaves an important gap. The Care Workers' Charity has welcomed the expansion of the framework but says it does not yet adequately recognise one of the sector's most common frontline roles: the Senior Care Worker.


In many services, senior care workers lead shifts, mentor colleagues, oversee medication and take on additional responsibilities that are vital to safe, effective care. Yet the charity argues these experienced staff still have no distinct place within the national career framework.


That omission could have recruitment implications. Career pathways are most effective when employees can clearly identify the next step in their progression. Without formal recognition of a role already undertaken by thousands of experienced workers,


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providers may struggle to demonstrate a meaningful career ladder that encourages people to remain in the profession.


The charity also points to the disconnect between experience and reward. It notes that care workers with five or more years' experience now earn just 10p per hour more than someone entering the profession, compared with 33p in 2016. Its own Wellbeing Survey identifies limited career progression as one of the most common reasons care workers choose to leave the sector.


“The pathway offers employers another tool to demonstrate that social care provides diverse, long-term career opportunities rather than simply entry-level jobs. ”


Another challenge is implementation. Adoption of the Care Workforce Pathway remains voluntary, meaning providers can choose whether or not to use it. While many organisations are expected to embrace the framework, inconsistent uptake could dilute its impact, with career structures varying considerably between employers.


To maximise its potential, The Care Workers' Charity is calling for legislative backing for the pathway, alongside funded support to help providers – particularly smaller organisations – embed it into workforce planning, training and professional development.


The charity also believes the pathway should be directly linked to the forthcoming Fair Pay Agreement, ensuring nationally recognised roles are matched by nationally recognised rates of pay. If progression is accompanied by improved remuneration, employers would have a far stronger proposition when recruiting and retaining skilled staff.


For providers facing ongoing workforce shortages, the Care Workforce Pathway has the potential to become far more than a careers framework. Combined with fair pay and consistent implementation, it could help reposition social care as a profession with recognised skills, structured progression and genuine long-term career prospects.


Ultimately, attracting new recruits is only part of the solution. Giving experienced care workers a clear reason to build their careers within the sector may prove just as important.


www.thecareworkerscharity.org.uk www.tomorrowscare.co.uk


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