Ruth is a former director of Stow Healthcare and now a Non-Executive Director for both The Outstanding Society and Elizabeth Finn Homes. With a background in care leadership and change management, Ruth explores how providers are tackling workforce challenges through career pathways that attract, grow, and retain the talent the sector urgently needs.
It’s no secret that the care sector continues to face a critical staffing shortage and an unsustainable turnover rate – posing significant challenges for leaders and their teams alike. Over the 15 years I spent building my own care company, and through my work as a non-executive director with The Outstanding Society and more recently Elizabeth Finn Homes, I’ve seen both the challenges and the sparks of innovation that could help reverse this exhausting churn.
It comes as Skills for Care celebrates the first anniversary of the Workforce Strategy for adult social care in England, developed by sector stakeholders to ensure the social care workforce is futureproofed by an approach to ‘Attract, Retain, Train, Transform’ to ensure we can meet the ever-growing needs of those who draw on care and support.
A key focus of the strategy is the development of the Care Workforce Pathway, a newly developed framework to define the skills, values and behaviours of roles within the sector from the bottom up to change perceptions and professionalise careers in Social Care.
At Stow Healthcare, we took pride in developing bespoke training programmes to upskill motivated and ambitious care staff in becoming Care Home Assistant Practitioners, dementia specialists, or even nursing associates. We provided stepping stone opportunities beyond this, including nursing apprenticeships, and deputy and home management development opportunities allowing us to retain home grown talent and reinvest in our workforce.
We were not alone in our efforts, there are providers – large and small – doing remarkable things to create meaningful, progressive career paths. One large not-for-profit provider I spoke with is launching a bold new strategy to support staff progression at every level. Others have invested in training academies, developed nursing associate roles, or created innovative pathways for nurses. Smaller providers are also making impressive strides, though the challenges they face are steeper – without the infrastructure or head office support, scaling innovation is far more difficult.
Pay still features high in the debate and a joined up consistent approach is a key factor to attract and retain staff. A Fair Pay Agreement would undoubtedly help reduce turnover, but every provider I’ve spoken to is asking the same question: how will it be funded? Many are already struggling to absorb the 40% increase in the National Living Wage since 2020 without a comensurate rise in funding. The pressure is mounting.
Another persistent barrier is the volume of mandatory training required – often repeated annually or triennially. While essential, this leaves little room for staff to explore new areas of interest or deepen their expertise. Some local authorities have even introduced their own additional training requirements, diverging from Skills for Care guidance and adding further pressure. Are we, in our efforts to stay compliant, at risk of disengaging our staff with repetitive content?
We should be rewarding staff for pursuing additional learning and qualifications – something I’ve always championed. But again, we return to the issue of funding. The sharp rise in the National Living Wage has eroded pay differentials, making it harder for providers to reward progression. If a Fair Pay Agreement causes these differentials to shrink further, will social care nursing remain an attractive career?
Many smaller providers are already operating under considerable financial pressure. If we are to build rewarding career pathways, support progression, and professionalise the sector, we need a national approach to funding that enables providers of all sizes to invest in their teams and offer meaningful development opportunities.
By championing our workforce, rewarding development, and creating real career structures, we can not only strengthen the sector—we can help social care workers feel proud, recognised, and excited for what’s ahead.
