BASW England supports Skills for Care report

The Skills for Care report released today, The state of the adult social care sector and workforce in England, is an important and timely report that provides context and oversight of the adult social care workforce, especially with Brexit negotiations at a crucial stage.

We fully support the key messages in this report: the need to invest further in our social care workforce, value the contribution and diversity of the sector and create meaningful career pathways which will support recruitment and retention of a skilled workforce that prides itself in value based practice.

Adult social care workers, social workers, families, carers, NHS colleagues, emergency services, the voluntary sector and many others have been at heart of the nation’s efforts to provide and maintain support to citizens.

They have endeavoured to keep people safe at the height of the pandemic – sadly, with many dedicated frontline staff losing their lives to Covid-19.

This commitment made by adult social care workforces needs to be recognised by Government in their post-Brexit planning.

With current immigration plans not listing care work as an eligible occupation on the ‘Skilled Workers’ route, the risk to the sector is great. The needs of the country’s ageing population and demands on social care will only increase.

BASW is calling for a rethink on these immigration plans and a comprehensive and positive approach from Westminster and all nation governments about how to ensure a supply of well trained, supported and skilled social care staff into the future.