Daughters of Charity Services releases critical report on the Adult Social Care sector calling for urgent government action

The Daughters of Charity Services (DCS) has today published a report highlighting the severe challenges facing the adult social care sector in England. The report is timely, given the recent manifesto announcements by the major parties on adult social care.

Based on the findings from the DCS’s 2023 survey of 205 social care providers, the report analyses the sector’s views on challenges with recruitment, retention, and funding within the sector and outlines the policy solutions needed to tackle them.

Addressing the recruitment crisis

The report notes that 66% of social care providers report difficulties in recruiting care workers since January 2022. This is a concern as the sector will need an additional 440,000 care workers by 2035 to meet projected demand.

The DCS’ report calls for a massive state-supported recruitment drive to meet future demand, suggesting an urgent review of contract rates to make care work a viable career option. It touches on the need for all parties to commit to supporting international recruitment, and review challenges regionally to avoid areas being left behind.

Retaining talent in the sector

The DCS welcomes the Level 2 Care Certificate and workforce development measures introduced in January 2024 but argues that more free training resources are necessary.

Organisations responding to the DCS’ survey noted it can be difficult to fund training as it takes care workers away from the frontline.

Further, the DCS argues that contract pricing must be designed facilitate career advancement, and establishing a clear career pathway with competitive wages is crucial to retain experienced care workers and reduce high turnover rates.

Ensuring the system is funded for the future

The sector requires substantial investment, aiming for the £18.4bn figure recommended by the Health Foundation by 2032/2033 to meet future demand, improve access, and raise care standards.

It raises concerns that much of the £7.5bn funding pledge in the 2022 Autumn Statement has yet to be delivered, whilst pressures increase.

The survey results show that 41% of organisations said they would be unable to increase pay for care workers without increased government funding, compared to 23% who would be able to find the funds to do this.

Mark Corea, Research and Policy Officer at DCS said: “People in care deserve a system that is robust, well-funded, and capable of meeting growing demand. Our findings clearly show that without significant and long-term government intervention, the adult social care sector will continue to struggle. We must act now to ensure that care providers and frontline workers are at the heart of these reforms.”

You can read the full report here.