Adult social care recruitment care campaign launched to boost workforce

• A new campaign ‘Care for others. Make a difference’ today launched to support aim to attract thousands more people into social care sector
• Highlights the vital role of the social care workforce during the pandemic, along with the longer-term opportunity of working in care
• Rapid training and work programme will be set up

The campaign, titled ‘Care for Others. Make a Difference’, will look to inspire the public to consider a career in social care.

To help fill the recruitment gap, the Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock and Care Minister Helen Whately today launch the campaign to encourage the right people with the right values and attributes to consider a paid career in adult social care work.

The campaign includes the new CARE brand for social care which symbolises the entire care profession – like the iconic and recognisable NHS logo. The brand aims to raise the profile of the care sector and allow businesses to show them the same appreciation as NHS workers.

Free-to-access e-learning courses and webinars for local authority and care provider staff are also being developed on how to maintain good care in the midst of the coronavirus crisis. Key topics will include: safeguarding, person-centred care, dementia, Mental Capacity Act, infection control and supporting care at home to reduce pressure on the NHS.

Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Matt Hancock said:

During these unprecedented times we are all grateful to the huge number of social care workers working day and night to provide quality care to the most vulnerable in our society.

The whole country wants to thank the 1.5 million of you for your inspirational and tireless work.

I want this campaign to reignite the search for people with a zest for caring and protecting our most vulnerable to step forward to join them.

Helen Whately, Minister of State for Care, comments:

The care sector is a vital part of our society, and this pandemic has truly brought home the skill and commitment of care workers who are looking after some of the most vulnerable people in our communities.

We want to make sure everyone knows what an important and valued job care workers do, and inspire more people to step forwards to join the care workforce.

We also want to support care providers who are looking to recruit staff, so we are offering free initial training to applicants considering a job in care. This should help job seekers looking to work in care for the first time and their future employers.

We want to bring together all those thinking they might work in care with social care providers looking for new recruits, and to make it as simple as possible for the doors to open up for thousands more compassionate and committed people to work in care.

Skills for Care have worked with the government to make rapid online induction training accessible. This includes key elements of the Care Certificate and is available free of charge. This will provide good practice resources and support for social care professionals to help the sector meet the challenge of COVID-19.