Agenda item

The Chair invited Marj Keddy, Interim Head of Workforce, to introduce the item.  Marj gave an overview of the report, the challenges in recruitment and retaining staff for Adult Social Care (ASC), a brief overview of Skills for Care, along with requesting views on a National Recruitment Campaign. 

The Chair thanked Marj for the update, and invited Members to comment:

·         Members requested more information in the report into focus on the reasons why workers are leaving the sector, along with exploring solutions for this. 

·         Members stated the paper also lacks information around pay and government infrastructure and funding to ASC, including the base size of the sector and national budgets. 

·         Members discussed the need for more young people to enter into the ASC sector. 

·         Members requested that the report unmerge all references to social workers and support workers, as these roles are significantly different.

·         Members discussed how vital it was for the report to reflect on the differences of local needs.

·         Members discussed the need for appropriate and locally-led branding.

·         Members also reflected on this works link to EU workers, and the effect and widely-reported skills-shortages impacted by Brexit.

·         Members discussed the need for young people and a younger workforce to enter into ASC. 

·         Members also held discussions around the emerging use of technology, and how this benefits the sector. 

The Chair thanked Members for their comments.

Action:

·         Marj Keddy noted all of the Members requests, and stated this will be further explored in the next phase of the project.