January 23rd 2024
Earlier this month, the government released the Care Workforce Pathway, a publication which sets out a career structure for the care workforce as well as what qualities and characteristics should underpin roles in social care.
A call for evidence was sent out to develop a workforce plan and the government worked closely with Skills for Care to ensure that the plan reflected the sector’s experiences and built on existing good practice.
The pathway focuses on direct care and support roles at 4 levels:
- New to care
- Care or support worker
- Supervisor or lead
- Practice leader
The plan introduces a new Care Certificate Qualification which the government hopes in time will become a baseline standard for all new care and support workers to work towards.
Digital skills
A significant highlight of the plan is the emphasis on digital skills training and the development of a new digital leadership qualification based on the Adult Social Care Digital Skills Framework. As part of the initiative, the government is set to introduce a digital skills passport by Spring 2025 to enhance the flexibility of training across the sector.
A dedicated website for the adult social care workforce will also be introduced, with the aim of providing easy access to support, information, and advice on careers in adult social care. This platform should explain the newly developed care workforce pathway and also offer insights into career structures to support the professional journey of the workforce.
Sector response
The National Care Forum (NCF), members of the Digital Care Hub consortium, have cautiously welcomed the publication, considering it a crucial initial step in workforce reform. CEO Vic Rayner emphasised the necessity of a workforce infrastructure that accommodates organisations of all sizes, urging the government to strategically fund pay, terms, and conditions to ensure the sustained delivery of quality care.
Further information
- Read the full Care Workforce Pathway publication.
- Find out more about the Digital Skills Framework.
- Find out more about the Care Certificate qualification.