Our research reports

Digital Skills in Adult Social Care - Rapid Evidence Review

There are many assumptions made about the current level of digital skills in the adult social care sector. In order to build an evidence base and understand the situation, NSHX commissioned Ipsos Mori in partnership with Skills for Care and the Institute of Public Care at Oxford Brookes to conduct a review of digital skills in the sector. As part of that work, Skills for Care has undertaken a rapid evidence review to look at existing frameworks to measure skills, current learning and development approaches, barriers to adoption and skills development and future skills needed in the sector. 

Download the Digital Skills in Adult Social Care - Rapid Evidence Review

Evidence review and sector consultation to inform Skills for Care strategy

There are 1.65m jobs in adult social care and adult social care employers contribute £41.2 billion to the English economy.

This evidence review looks in depth at the workforce issues and opportunities faced by the adult social care sector. The review encompassed 190 academic, policy and other research and intelligence sources, and involved 13 stakeholder consultations.

This report will not only inform our three-year strategy for Skills for Care but we hope will also inform the broader debate across the sector. The challenges and opportunities identified are not new:

• overcoming recruitment and retention problems
• workforce development; and
• supporting workforce equality, diversity, inclusion and wellbeing.

Download the evidence review and sector consultation

View the consulation 'executive summary'

National Recruitment campaign for adult social care – findings from the scoping study

This scoping study was conducted in two parts, a review of evidence available and a consultation exercise (including both an online survey and a series of consultation events). The project took place from November 2017 – February 2018. We would like to thank all of those who contributed to the scoping study, taking the time to share their valuable insight and experience.

Recruitment and retention in adult social care: secrets of success - June 2017

We've conducted research with social care employers with a turnover of less than 10%, and individual employers, to explore what they do that contributes to their success in recruitment and retention. 

Child and Family survey - summer 2016

We've conducted an online survey to explore the breadth of development initiatives and implementation plans for social workers in Child and Family services.

Social work in adult services evaluation survey

In order to gain a better understanding of the Assessed and Supported Year in Employment (ASYE) in adult social work we've conducted an online survey.

Care coordination (2016)

Care coordination is an important aspect of integration between social care and health. Many areas have seen a rise in staff involved in coordinating care. This can include activities like supporting people using services to access appropriate care and support, working with professionals to raise awareness of local services available and reducing duplication of efforts.  

We’ve spoken to employers in social care and health to find out about the functions associated with care coordination in their organisation. This short summary gives an overview of the findings from this work.​

The impact of a values based approach to recruitment and retention (2016)

This report assesses the longer-term impact of a values based approach to recruitment and retention by capturing key business performance indicators such as staff retention, absence and performance measures.

Can't find what you need? Take a look at our Research Knowledge Base, an online searchable database with information about the adult social care workforce. Here you will also find older Skills for Care research reports.