A workforce strategy for adult social care in England

Summary of recommendations and commitments 

This Strategy sets out the reasons behind the case for change. Under each subject area, it then puts forward the existing commitments of Skills for Care and partner organisations, and recommendations for future action.

For ease of viewing, we have summarised the recommendations and commitments - the full detail can be found in the recommendations and commitments section of this Strategy.

Attract and retain 

  • Joined-up, consistent action on pay. Central government (lead) with local government, unions and employers. (2024) 

  • Consider the modelling in this Strategy in the Fair Cost of Care exercise. (2025, ongoing). Central government with the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and local government. We have modelled and costed three options for improving pay in the recommendations and commitments section. 

  • A transition plan to increase domestic recruitment and reduce international recruitment. Government departments/bodies and the sector. (Ongoing) 

  • Continued funding to support ethical international recruitment. DHSC. (Ongoing) 

  • Review the application of ethical recruitment. DHSC and Home Office. (By March 2025) 

  • Regulator encouraging recruitment and retention plans. Commitment – Care Quality Commission (CQC).  

  • A 10-year attraction plan focusing on men, younger people and people with technical skills. Cross-sector partnership, sponsored by Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and DHSC. (By summer 2025) 

  • Support for individual employers. The Local Government Association (LGA). (Start 2024) 

  • A national programme to attract graduates and career changers. DHSC. (From 2025) 

  • Attract more social workers and occupational therapists with a clearer pathway and financial support for students. DHSC; DfE; Social Work England (SWE); the British Association of Social Workers (BASW); the Royal College of Occupational Therapists (RCOT) and Skills for Care.  

  • Attract more registered nurses and nursing associates to social care and offer attractive career pathways to retain them. DHSC; Council of Deans of Health; Universities; ICSs. (From 2025) 

  • A People Promise for social care. Skills for Care, commissioned by DHSC. (Scoping 2025, launch 2026) 

  • Scope retention pilots in five ICS areas. DHSC; Skills for Care and stakeholders. (2026-27) 

  • Regulator support for workforce wellbeing and equality, diversity and inclusion. CQC. 

  • Create Workforce Strategy employer champions. Commitment - Skills for Care and provider representatives. 

  • Retain more internationally educated registered nurses working in social care through pathways, support and regulation. Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC); CQC; DHSC.   

  • Implement the Social Care Workforce Race Equality Standard (SC-WRES). Skills for Care and partners (commitment); DHSC; Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government; Department for Education (DfE) and CQC. (From 2024) 

  • Improve wellbeing through guidance, training, NHS Health Checks, regulation and awareness-raising. Sector and health organisations (2024, 2025, ongoing); DHSC (2025); CQC (From 2025). 

Train 

  • Regulator to signpost to what good looks like in learning development. Commitment - CQC and Skills for Care. (2024, ongoing) 

  • Expand skills through the Care Workforce Pathway. DHSC and Skills for Care. (Starting 2024) 

  • Continue funding to support delegated healthcare activities. DHSC with the sector. (From 2024) 

  • Continue funding for new skills. DHSC. (Annual) 

  • Develop leaders through a framework for Directors of Adult Social Services (commitment - Skills for Care and Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS) and partners) and continue investment in the leadership programme for regulated professionals (DHSC). (2025) 

  • Streamline and communicate mandatory training requirements. Commitment - Skills for Care and CQC. (2025) 

  • Continue the Care Certificate and support uptake. DHSC. (From 2024) 

  • Ensure level three competence for direct care staff. DHSC and Skills for Care. (2025, ongoing) 

  • Overhaul social care apprenticeships. Expert partners, commissioned by DfE. (2025) 

  • Ensure high-quality training in functional skills, digital, data and technology and AI. Skills for Care, CQC, Care Provider Alliance (CPA) (commitment, 2024); Association of Colleges (AoC), Association of Employment and Learning Providers (AELP) (2025).  

  • A three-year funding plan for training. DHSC. (From 2024) 

  • Invest in training and developing social workers. DHSC/DfE with sector partners and local authorities. (2025) 

  • Invest in training and developing occupational therapists. DHSC with sector partners; local authorities. 

  • Invest in training and developing registered nurses working in social care. DHSC; sector partners; Council of the Deans of Health (CoDH); National Institute for Health and Care Research (NICE); NMC; CQC. (From 2025) 

  • Develop managers through support, education and potential registration. DHSC; Skills for Care; CQC. (From 2025) 

Transform 

  • Mandate workforce planning and strategy. Central government. (2024) 

  • Create a responsibility for a central workforce body for the development and implementation of this and future workforce plans. Central government. (2024) 

  • Investigate workforce registration. Commitment - Adult Social Care Workforce Strategy Delivery Board. (Scope in 2025) 

  • Attract workers to social care in coastal and rural areas. ICSs and local partners. (Scope in 2025) 

  • Support ICS workforce planning. Skills for Care; local government; NHS Employers and partners. (Scope in 2025) 

  • Research on new roles for social care. Think Tanks, National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) or DHSC. (2026) 

  • Expand digital skills training. Digitising Social Care and partners (DiSC). (2025) 

  • Pilot a new care technologist role. Commitment - Skills for Care and partners. (2025) 

  • Evaluation of current research priorities and funding in adult social care. DHSC. (From 2025) 

  • Adult Social Care to be prioritised by NICE. NICE. (From 2025)

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Strategy Steering Group