Celebrating one year of the Workforce Strategy for Adult Social Care
People across adult social care are celebrating one year since the launch of the Workforce Strategy for Adult Social Care. The official anniversary is on Friday 18 July 2025.
The strategy was first shared in July 2024 and we are all looking ahead to what’s next.
The Workforce Strategy is the first-ever of its kind for the adult social care sector in England and has been hailed as a turning point for care.
Led by Skills for Care, the Strategy has been a collaborative effort across adult social care and partners from health and education. It was also created with people who draw on care and support.
Since its launch in 2024, over 50% of the 56 recommendations and commitments are either completed or in progress. Recommendations currently being implemented include joined-up, consistent action on pay; expanding care workers’ skills through the Care Workforce Pathway and developing a ‘People Promise’ for social care focused on improving pay, security of income, work-life balance and career development opportunities.
Over 409 individuals, organisations, and groups have signed up to become Workforce Strategy Champions, advocating for the Strategy, helping to amplify its messages and ensuring its successful implementation at various levels across adult social care.
The Minister for Care, Stephen Kinnock MP, has announced a commitment to dementia training for social care staff - a key recommendation of the Strategy, and many local authorities are mapping their local strategies against the Workforce Strategy. Additionally, Integrated care systems (ICSs) are also increasingly aligning their work with the Workforce Strategy.
Looking ahead, future actions from the Strategy include the development of a 10-year attraction plan focusing on men, younger people and people with technical skills; the consideration of a national leadership programme to attract graduates and career changers into social care, and looking into the benefits of creating a professional body for registered managers.
Sir David Pearson, co-chair of the Workforce Strategy Implementation Executive Oversight Group, says:
The Workforce Strategy for Adult Social Care is a crucial development for those of us who need care and support in this country. I am delighted with the progress that has been made in the first year since the launch of the strategy and to see so many individuals and organisations committed to putting the strategy into action.
Building on what has been implemented so far and maintaining momentum across the sector and with the Government is critical over the next year.
Oonagh Smyth, CEO, Skills for Care says:
I am incredibly excited by all elements of the Workforce Strategy – what we’ve achieved so far and what is to come next. I really believe that this is a once in a generation opportunity for us to build the workforce of the of the future.
We are still at the very beginning, and we need an ongoing concerted effort to implement the Strategy over the long-term. With the demand for social care growing and changing as people live longer but not necessarily healthier, it’s important for everyone that we create a sustainable social care sector that meets the needs of our communities now and in the future.
Find out more about the Workforce Strategy for Adult Social Care.
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