Laura Davies, Chief Operating Officer at home care provider The Good Care Group, shares how retention depends on more than learning pathways — it’s about building a values-led culture where carers feel seen, supported, and set up to thrive.
As someone who has worked in social care for many years, I’ve seen the sector evolve dramatically. But, one truth remains: training alone won’t maintain standards of excellence, keep teams happy, or stop people walking out the door.
Of course, training is essential. It ensures safety, builds confidence, and develops the skills our teams need. However, if we rely solely on training as a silver bullet for retention, we’re missing the bigger picture.
At The Good Care Group, we believe retention is built on a deeper foundation: one rooted in values, purpose, and a culture of care that extends just as much to our people as it does to our clients.
Ultimately, it’s about fostering an environment and an ethos with excellence at its core. Excellent care for our clients and championing the work that carers do day to day.
That’s why our approach to learning and development is just one part of a much broader strategy. For us, everything starts with recruitment. We use a wide range of tools and situational judgement testing to identify candidates who aren’t just looking for a job, they’re looking to make a difference. We assess empathy, problem-solving and alignment with our values, because we know these are the traits that lead to longevity, excellence and job satisfaction.
Once someone joins us, they’re not dropped into the deep end with a checklist of e-learning modules. Instead, they experience a comprehensive induction, including our Step Into Care programme—a structured and supportive on-boarding process that eases new entrants into the realities of live-in care. We recognise that the transition into care work, especially in someone’s home, can be overwhelming.
Step Into Care builds confidence gradually, ensuring our people feel ready, prepared and supported from day one. The impact has been tangible: higher job satisfaction and a marked reduction in early leavers.
But retention isn’t something that’s “fixed” in the first week. It’s something we cultivate every day, through continuous development, recognition, and individualised support. We create personalised wellbeing plans for every carer, understanding their needs, goals and pressures beyond the workplace. Mental health support, rest and recuperation between placements, and regular one-to-one check-ins are all part of the fabric of working with us.
We also know that carers want to grow. That’s why we invest in specialist pathways, including advanced training in dementia and Parkinson’s care. These aren’t just badges of honour; they enable our carers to deepen their expertise and deliver exceptional care. More importantly, they offer a genuine career progression route, one that reflects the complexity, intelligence, and emotional intelligence required in care.
Too often, our sector confuses qualifications with culture. It’s not enough to push people through a series of accreditations. We need to create an environment where carers feel respected, valued, and heard. That means recognising the emotional labour involved in care. It means giving people a voice in how they work and what support they need. And it means celebrating the small wins; because in care, the smallest things often make the biggest difference.
Can we really call care a “career” without a nationally funded, structured pathway? I’d argue not yet, but that doesn’t mean we can’t lead the way. At The Good Care Group, we’ve created our own internal pathway for progression, from new starter to care manager and beyond. Our carers deserve the same structure, opportunity and esteem as professionals in any other field, and we’re working tirelessly to make that a reality.
In the end, retention isn’t about the quantity of training, but the quality of experience. We must stop thinking of learning and development as a box-ticking exercise and start seeing it as a powerful vehicle for belonging, purpose and growth. That’s how we’ll keep our people not just in care, but thriving in it.
