A report on the Implications of Brexit on the social care and childcare workforce in Wales commissioned by the Welsh Government has been welcomed by the Deputy Minister for Health and Social Services, Julie Morgan.
This was published under the 2016 to 2021 administration of the Welsh Government
The Minister said
“The findings will provide assurance and help inform both the sector and Welsh Government’s preparations for Brexit.”
The research estimates around 6.4% of those working in registered social care and 4.5% working in registered childcare settings in Wales are non-UK EU nationals.
The report showed the biggest challenge facing the sector is recruiting new people. 58% of registered social care respondents and 47% of day care of children respondents confirmed they have found it difficult to recruit within the last year.
Over the last year retention issues were less widespread, but nonetheless reported by a quarter of registered social care services. For children’s day care settings 10% reported finding staff retention easier and 12% found it more difficult.
Registered social care services were slightly more likely to report challenges recruiting and retaining Nursing and Midwifery Council registered nurses.
Both social care and child care services reported little change in the difficulty in retaining non-UK EU staff within the last year.
Deputy Minister for Health and Social Services, Julie Morgan, said:
“Non-UK EU nationals currently make up a small but important part of our social care and childcare workforce.
“It is important to ensure that those from the EU and non EU countries continue to feel welcome to live and work in Wales.
“We realise that the sector is already facing challenges to recruit and retain workers and this is why we fully support the new ‘WeCare.Wales’ Campaign. This is an attraction, retention and recruitment campaign, led by Social Care Wales, which highlights the breadth of opportunities available in Social care and Childcare.”