Thousands more care workers needed if Wales is to keep up with growing demand

Wales will need around 20,000 more people to work in the care sector by 2030 if it is to keep pace with the growing demand for care services and provide support for communities across the country.

A national campaign called WeCare has been launched in a bid to attract more people to work in care.

The campaign is a collaboration between Social Care Wales and leading organisations representing social care, early years and childcare in Wales, as well as other national bodies involved in job-seeking and careers advice.

It is part of a long-term strategy to develop the workforces in the care and health sectors over the next decade, to provide a high-quality, seamless service to the people of Wales.

The campaign will highlight the breadth of career opportunities in care, from childminders and nursery practitioners to home care co-ordinators and care home managers.

As more people in Wales live longer, more will have specific needs that require support inside and outside the home. Projections indicate that around 20,000 more employees will be needed over the next 10 years to answer the growing demands of the population.

Currently, around one in 17 adults in Wales works in social care or early years and childcare – around 113,000 people, making it a bigger employer than the NHS. But this area of work is still growing.

The WeCare campaign aims to show the variety of roles and career progression opportunities available. By using real care workers, the campaign focuses on the challenges they face, as well as what makes their work rewarding and worthwhile.

Sue Evans, Chief Executive of Social Care Wales said:

“In Wales, around 90,000 people work in social care, while 23,000 work in early years and childcare. However, we still need more people if we are going to meet the needs and expectations of society over the next 10 years.

“Working in social care, early years and childcare can be demanding, but it’s also hugely worthwhile. The WeCare campaign has been developed to attract the right people to support some of the most vulnerable members in our communities or help inspire the next generation.

“There are a variety of roles available working with adults and children, as well as opportunities to gain qualifications on the job and progress careers.

New qualifications in health, social care and childcare are being launched from September this year and this campaign is part of a broader plan to make sure we have a workforce across care and health services that will meet the future needs of the people of Wales.”

For more information visit WeCare.wales