Workforce
middle layer that has become normalised over time. That does not mean all recruiters or
agencies are the problem. Many good recruiters work hard and genuinely care about supporting providers. But structurally, the industry has evolved into a model where providers often lose direct ownership of their hiring pipeline and become dependent on external intermediaries to access candidates. In any other sector, that level of
dependency would raise serious questions. What makes this more frustrating is that there are examples around the world showing that care recruitment can work more effectively when systems are designed around workforce stability rather than transactional hiring. In countries like the Netherlands, care
organisations have increasingly invested in community-based recruitment and long-term workforce planning. Employers focus heavily on values-based hiring, direct engagement and local workforce development rather than relying excessively on agency staffing. The Dutch “Buurtzorg” model, for example, became internationally recognised for building smaller, self-managed care teams with high staff satisfaction and
Recruitment has become transactional rather than relational
lower turnover. Workers are given greater autonomy, stronger relationships with employers and more meaningful involvement in decision-making. The result is not just more effective
recruitment, it improves care outcomes too. In Japan, where an ageing population has
placed enormous strain on the care system, providers have embraced technology and streamlined recruitment systems to improve efficiency and workforce retention. Digital recruitment platforms, faster onboarding and stronger training pathways have helped modernise the profession and make care work more accessible to younger generations. Importantly, Japan has also worked
hard to reposition care work as a respected profession requiring specialist skills, rather than simply low-paid labour. Germany offers another interesting
example. Many care providers there invest heavily in apprenticeship-style development
pathways and long-term training models. Recruitment is closely linked to professional development and retention from day one. Workers entering care can see clearer career progression opportunities, making the profession feel more stable and sustainable over the long term. None of these countries have ‘solved’
social care entirely. Every nation faces pressures linked to ageing populations and workforce demand. But there are lessons the UK can learn from systems that prioritise direct engagement, workforce development and long-term retention over short-term placement cycles. Care recruitment also suffers from a
broader image problem that the sector still has not fully addressed. Despite requiring safeguarding awareness, resilience, emotional intelligence, communication skills and increasingly complex clinical understanding, care work remains undervalued socially and economically.
October 2026
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