The Social Care Workforce Race Equality Standard (SC-WRES) was developed by Skills for Care as a tool to identify issues and measure improvements in the workforce with respect to the experiences of people from a Black, Asian and minority ethnic background.
It’s a process that organisations can use to address evidence and make progress towards race equality. The SC-WRES comprises of nine benchmarks (measurable metrics to examine disparities in race equalities).
This comprehensive quality improvement tool means that you can measure not only the demographics of your workforce, but the real-life opportunities and workplace culture which people are experiencing and create an action plan for change. Organisations who complete the SC-WRES can then transparently demonstrate measurable change year-on-year based on how well they're doing and ensure diverse voices are heard.
Going forward Skills for Care is now responsible for the SC-WRES data collection, analysis and supportive solutions for change. (See history of WRES for background information). The SC-WRES has been piloted by 18 trailblazing local authorities. Throughout 2023-24 the tool will be rolled out further for a new data collection, peer-to-peer support, action plans and further developed to its next stages.
The indicators
The SC-WRES supports employers to measure the experiences of their team against nine key metrics.
- Percentage of directly employed staff from a minority ethnic background, within each pay band, compared with the percentage of white staff.
- Relative likelihood of directly employed staff from a minority ethnic background being appointed from shortlisting in the last 12 months, compared to white staff.
- Relative likelihood of directly employed staff from a minority ethnic background entering the formal disciplinary process compared to white staff.
- Relative likelihood of directly employed regulated professionals from a minority ethnic background entering the fitness-to-practice process in the last 12 months compared to white staff.
- Relative likelihood of directly employed staff from a minority ethnic background accessing funded non-mandatory continuous professional development in the last 12 months as compared to white staff.
- Relative likelihood of directly employed staff from a minority ethnic background experiencing harassment, bullying or abuse from people who use social care, relatives or the public in last 12 months compared to white staff.
- Relative likelihood of directly employed staff from a minority ethnic background experiencing harassment, bullying or abuse from colleagues or managers in last 12 months compared to white staff.
- Relative likelihood of directly employed staff from a minority ethnic background leaving the organisation during the last 12 months compared to white staff.
- Percentage of directly employed staff from a minority ethnic background in senior manager membership roles compared with the percentage of white staff.
Resources and further information
Skills for Care CEO, Oonagh Smyth took some time to discuss the implementation of the SC-WRES and what it means for the sector going forward.
Oonagh discusses the launch of the 4 year strategy at Skills for Care, and how one of the priorities is supporting culture and diversity within the sector. She also explains how Skills for Care became involved with the SC-WRES and the impact that it will have in the years to come.
Skills for Care Board members Sharon Allen and Munira Thobani took part in a discussion around the journey of creating the SC-WRES.
The discussion focuses on several key areas, including how Skills for Care began the overall thinking and aligning of the project, and how data gathering was used as the basis of what will be an important development for the sector.
Working within the Workforce Intelligence team at Skills for Care, Sarah Davison is the lead analyst on the SC-WRES project. Sarah took some time to discuss her involvement with the SC-WRES and how she used her expertise as a researcher to guide the data collection elements of the project.
We spoke to Anton Emanuel, a Professor at University College and lead on the SC-WRES at NHS England. Anton discusses the reasoning behind creating the SC-WRES and what he considers to be his greatest achievement throughout the process.
Take a look at how Skills for Care is supporting the drive towards a more diverse future.
Organisations who complete the SC-WRES can then transparently demonstrate measurable change year-on-year based on how well they're doing. This may be in terms of demonstrating good practice or highlighting areas where staff from Black and minoritised ethnicities have different experiences and outcomes. These are addressed by an action plan that organisations develop and work towards.
If you'd like to know more about the SC-WRES see the history of WRES webpage or contact us at Equalityandrights@skillsforcare.org.uk