International Day of Charity: why our charitable purpose matters for adult social care

Tristram Gardner, Deputy CEO, Skills for Care, shares more about our work as a charity this International Day of Charity.

International Day of Charity is an opportunity to celebrate the organisations working to make a difference in people's lives. It is also a chance to highlight something that may not always be front of mind when people think about Skills for Care: we are an independent charity.

For more than 25 years, Skills for Care has been the only national charity focused on building a stronger workforce for the quality adult social care we all need. We work with employers, government and partners to ensure social care has the people, skills and support needed to deliver high-quality care and support, now and in the future.

Being a charity is not simply part of our legal status; it’s central to why we exist and how we work.

Our vision is of a fair and just society, where people can access the advice, care and support they need to live life to the fullest. Our mission is to support and empower current and future social care leaders, employers and the wider workforce.

Adult social care enables millions of people to live independently, stay connected to their communities and achieve the outcomes that matter most to them. Behind every quality service is a workforce with the skills, confidence and support to provide excellent care.

That’s why our focus is on workforce development.

As the only national organisation looking at workforce development across the whole adult social care sector, we work across the system to understand what the workforce needs today and what it will need in the future. We bring together evidence, insights and data to help government, employers and sector leaders make informed decisions. The Department of Health and Social Care draws heavily on our workforce intelligence, expertise and insight to help shape policy and improve support for the sector.

We know that a stronger workforce is fundamental to delivering the quality care and support people deserve. That’s why we invest in understanding workforce trends, identifying challenges and opportunities, and providing the evidence needed to support long-term improvement. Alongside this, we help establish the standards and frameworks that underpin good workforce practice.

As an independent charity we can focus on what will make the greatest difference to the sector rather than what will generate the greatest profit. That independence helps us remain a trusted voice, bringing together evidence, expertise and lived experience to support workforce development across England.

This commitment to our charitable purpose can also be seen in the way we approach innovation. Earlier this year, we launched The Training Hub by Skills for Care, a new training offer designed specifically for adult social care. Developed in response to what care providers told us they needed, it provides high-quality, sector-specific learning shaped by our experience of setting workforce standards and supporting workforce development.

Importantly, Skills for Care is a not-for-profit organisation. Every penny generated through our commercial activities is reinvested into our charitable purpose and mission. That means income generated through products and services helps us continue supporting the adult social care workforce, strengthening our ability to provide guidance, leadership, insight and workforce development for the sector.

Our charitable values are also reflected in our people. Many colleagues give their time, expertise and energy to support charitable causes outside their roles, helping strengthen communities across the country. Our CEO Oonagh Smyth is a trustee of Age UK, and several of our other colleagues hold trustee positions across different organisations. That commitment to making a positive difference runs through everything we do.

International Day of Charity is a reminder that charities contribute to society in many different ways. Some provide direct support to individuals and communities. Others focus on research, advocacy or education. Skills for Care's contribution is to strengthen the workforce that underpins adult social care.

Every piece of workforce intelligence we produce, every framework we develop, every leadership programme we deliver, every partnership we build and every learning opportunity we create is focused on one goal: supporting a strong, skilled and valued workforce so that people can access the high-quality care and support they need.

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