The health and social care sector is forecast to grow by overall 10% between 2002 and 2012. There are no separate figures for social care, but an ageing society is likely to result in an expansion of this sub-sector. Sector information

Staff shortages and retention problems in social care are widespread with low pay, lack of career progression opportunities and image problems playing a key role. Sector information

About 1 in 10 posts in social services departments are vacant, with occupational therapy posts hardest to fill. Recruitment is a bigger issue than retention in the public and private sector alike. Sector information

Employment in the health and social care sector is forecast to grow at a slightly higher rate in the Midlands and southern regions than in northern regions. Regional dimension

Healthcare and related personal services (including care assistants and home carers who constitute the biggest part of the social care workforce) are among the fastest growing occupations. Caring personal services occupations (including healthcare and related personal services) need an additional 1.4 million people between 2002 to 2012. Occupations

Women account for at least 80% of the overall workforce and data indicates that women have a better chance to take up team leader or management positions than in other parts of the economy.  Relatively more men than women are in senior positions. Equal opportunities

Social services departments have attracted a slightly higher share of people from ethnic minority groups, but they seem to be under-represented among senior managers. Equal opportunities

New regulations have put a statutory duty on social care organisations to provide induction programmes, to identify and meet work-related individual training needs and to raise the qualification levels of their workforce. Education and training

By 2005 50% of care staff will need to be qualified to at least NVQ level 2 and all managers need to have relevant qualifications. Education and training

    

Sector information

This contains an overview of the sector as a whole, details future trends in employment together with skill gaps and workforce development issues.

Data and charts

Links to the charts contained within this sector are listed together with links to data and charts from Skills in England (2003) and Working Futures (2004).

Regional / national dimension

Information on regional trends and differences.

Occupations

Information and trends on sectoral occupations.

Equal opportunities

Key information on equal opportunity issues specific to the sector.

Education and training

Education and training information and issues including work-based learning, apprenticeships, vocational qualifications, and further and higher education courses.

Research

A list of recent research publications which is intended to be a starting for those wishing for more detail on the sector.

Discussion points

Thought-provoking and challenging questions to start discussions.

Sector summary: social care

This summary gives a brief overview of the key trends in the sector.

Links and sources

This contains direct links to all the materials used to compile this sector. More in-depth and detailed information can be found in the source materials as only key points have been extracted. In addition, websites and further sources which may be of interest have been included.