Dawn Bowden MS, Minister for Children and Social Care
Social Care Wales has today published results of the second annual Social Care Workforce Survey. This follows on from last year’s pilot survey and explores health and wellbeing, pay and conditions, career progression, training needs, motivations for working in social care and the things our workforce most value.
This survey provides a unique opportunity for the social care workforce to give their views on a range of issues which affect them and helps shape how we address what matters most to them. The survey was completed by 8% of the workforce compared with 6.5% last year. Whilst I am really pleased to see the response rate is higher this year, we must continue to build on this to ensure the voice of the sector is heard.
Once again, the results highlight the outstanding commitment of our social care workforce, and the incredible role they play in providing services in Wales. Although we have seen some improvements compared to last year, there is still much more to do to ensure the workforce feels valued and has the best possible support available.
I am issuing this statement on World Mental Health Day and the health and wellbeing of our social care workforce is a priority. It is a fundamental principle which underpins the Workforce Strategy Delivery Plan for Social Care 2024-2027 launched earlier this year. Actions have been taken forward to support the well-being of our workforce including establishing the health and well-being framework so employers and employees can measure their organisation against an agreed set of standards, the setting up of new peer networks that provide mutual help and support for managers to help build resilience and providing funding for Canopi, a mental health support service that’s free at the point of access for the whole workforce across health and social care. Data from Canopi suggests that their timely, high-quality support has resulted in over 60% of clients feeling that they were able to continue to work while they were receiving support, helping to build and maintain a sustainable and resilient workforce.
Terms and conditions remain a priority for the sector, and I am absolutely committed to improving them. We established the Social Care Fair Work Forum as a tripartite social partnership group, committed to embedding Fair Work and improving terms and conditions for social care workers in Wales. Initially the Forum focussed its efforts on improvements to pay. It provided advice on how to take forward the Programme for Government commitment to pay the Real Living Wage to social care workers in Wales, which is now in its third financial year of delivery. The Forum is now focusing on developing and delivering a voluntary Pay and Progression framework that works for the sector. This framework will support providers to offer consistent pay, with clear progression and development opportunities to their workers as they wholly deserve.
The Forum and Welsh Government are also liaising closely with the UK Government over their plan to introduce Fair Pay Agreements in Adult Social Care. We have already developed close working relationships with UK Government officials in recent months, and will continue this close working to understand the potential this could have for social care workers in Wales.
The Social Care Workforce Partnership was recently developed, the first of its kind in the UK and was established through the Social Care Fair Work Forum. The partnership brings together government, employers, and unions to work in social partnership to agree models of best practice for staff working in the independent social care sector for employers to voluntarily adopt. The Partnership are currently finalising the priorities they will be focusing on over the next 12 months having consulted through Unions with the workforce, and with social care providers through a survey. This means that the workforce and providers have had influence and opportunity to share and put forward the priorities that are most important to them. We will be making an announcement on those priorities shortly.
Workloads and staffing also continue to be a key area of focus. Recruitment and retention of staff is a priority, and all our work programmes aim to target challenges in the sector. It is always inspiring to hear about some of the innovative approaches to recruitment and retention being taken across Wales. We will continue to explore with the sector how we translate and scale innovative practice, whilst working within the constraints of the continued financial pressures. Exploring alternative ways to make roles within the sector more appealing by creating clear pathways for progression is crucial. Social care can be a career for life.
By continuing to work closely with the sector and with our partners, I am confident we will overcome the current challenges and address the issues highlighted in the survey. I want to thank our social care workforce for their commitment, dedication and the valuable contribution they are making to our most vulnerable in society. You are valued and I will continue to drive forward the change you all deserve for the role you play. I am positive about the future, and I know that we can continue to deliver positive changes that make a difference to the social care workforce, and to the people who rely on the support of social care services in Wales.