Jane Brightman, Director of Workforce Strategy at Skills for Care discusses how recent developments in adult social care are trying to shift the perception of the sector to help us build a more sustainable and tech savvy workforce.
Whether we like it or not, a perception exists that our sector has been slower than most to capitalise on many benefits of digital technology. In addition to this, adult social care struggles to attract a younger demographic, as shown by these reports by the Kings Fund. Our latest ‘State of’ report showed that younger workers (those under 25) were less likely to work in adult social care (8%) compared to the rest of the economically active population (29%). In addition to this, the recently launched ‘Workforce Strategy for Adult Social Care’, highlighted a 2021 review, funded and delivered as part of the ‘People at the Heart of Care’ white paper, which found basic digital skill gaps in the social care workforce.
Our sector is one that prioritises human interaction, so it’s not necessarily inaccurate to suggest that technology plays a smaller role in what makes a person or organisation capable of delivering amazing care. The sector simply hasn’t needed to prioritise these digital skills or solutions, until now.
When it comes to age, some may question why this matters. Well, the data also shows that 31% of registered managers are aged 55 and over, potentially approaching retirement within the next decade. Without a sufficient number of younger recruits entering the sector, we’re likely to struggle to replace crucial people across many different roles.
When it comes to digital, we need the skills to operate and capitalise on technological advancements in our sector to deliver the best possible support. Integration, assistive technology and artificial intelligence (AI) are all becoming increasingly significant and all rely on us being digitally confident to really reap the benefits.
It’s important that we make a concerted effort to place our sector on an equal footing with those that readily attract younger people, and to become more engaged with ‘digital’ as a whole.
So, how do we change these perceptions so that we can change the reality of our sector? I’m pleased to say that we’ve already referenced one of our best tools to do to this – the ‘Workforce Strategy for Adult Social Care’. The Strategy calls for a 10-year action plan intended to introduce more young people, men and those with digital skills to our sector. We’re hopeful that this initiative would be delivered through a cross-sector partnership that includes the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC), Ministry of Housing, Department for Education (DfE), local government, integrated care systems, social care providers, Skills for Care and people drawing on social care.
The goal of the project would be to showcase career opportunities and the benefits of working in our sector, with messaging specifically geared towards these populations. It would also look to implement national and local programmes to facilitate easier entry into the field.
The Strategy also recommends the creation of a new job role for the sector which promises to build interest in assistive care technology. The ‘care technologist’ is a potential new job type which focuses on using technology to improve the lives of those being supported. This role would be ideal for those coming from other sectors with existing digital skills, or existing staff looking to transition into a more technical role. The National Care Forum will be leading developments on this recommendation.
The final notable recommendation within the Strategy is the continued support for digital skills development. It calls for Digitising Social Care to partner with key organisations to expand access to digital skills training across the workforce and The Association of Colleges and the Association of Employment and Learning Providers to support the higher education sector to offer programmes on the use of digital, data, technology and AI in social care.
I’m confident that with these recommendations in place, we could be closer than ever to being able to close the gap that exists in skills and demographics, something that’s crucial if we’re to build a sustainable and modern care services. If realised, these plans will not only shift the perception of our sector, but positively impact the lives of drawing on social care. Make sure to visit our website to find out more about our digital campaign ii, our annual ‘State ofiii’ report or the ‘Workforce Strategy for Adult Social Care’iv.
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skillsforcare.org.uk
