Research on the social care sector is focused on:

• recruitment, retention and measures to tackle it
• levels of qualification and training and barriers to participation in training
• image of the social care secto
• pay and conditions, researched as part of a broader research agenda

Job satisfaction is not as extensively researched as in the health sector, and there is a case for more research into the implications of local authorities’ commissioning strategies on the workforce.

Sources

Balloch, McLean and Fisher (1999)

Balloch, S., McLean, J. and Fisher, M. (eds.)(1999) Social Services: Working Under Pressure. Bristol: Policy Press.

Banks, Cogan, Riddell, Deeley, Hill abd Tisdall (2002)

Banks, P., Cogan, N., Riddell, S., Deeley, S., Hill, M. and Tisdall, K. (2002) ‘Does the Covert Nature of Caring Prohibit the Development of Effective Services for Young Carers?’, British Journal of Guidance and Counselling 30(3): 229-246.

Booth, Booth and Falzon (2003)

Booth, S.H., Booth, A. and Falzon, L.J. (2003) ‘The Need for Information and Research Skills Training to Support Evidence-Based Social Care: A Literature Review and Survey’, Learning in Health and Social Care 2(4): 191-201.

Chevannes (2002)

Chevannes, M. (2002) ‘Social Construction of the Managerialism of Needs Assessment by Health and Social Care Professionals’, Health and Social Care in the Community 10(3): 168-178.

Eborall and Garmeson (2001)

Eborall, C. and Garmeson, K. (2001) Desk Research on Recruitment and Retention in Social Care and Social Work. London: Department of Health.

Hagell and Spencer (2004)

Hagell, A. and Spencer, L. (2004) ‘An Evaluation of an Innovative Audiotape Method for Keeping Social Care Staff up to date with the Latest Research Findings’, Child and Family Social Work 9(2): 187-196.

Harlow (2004)

Harlow, E. (2004) ‘Why don’t Women want to be Social Workers Anymore? New Managerialism, Postfeminism and the Shortage of Social Workers in Social Services Departments in England and Wales’, European Journal of Social Work 7(2): 167-179.

Henwood (2001)

Henwood, M. (2001) Future Imperfect? Report of the King’s Fund Care and Support Inquiry. London: King’s Fund. Executive Summary.

Local Government National Training Organisation (2001)

Local Government National Training Organisation (2001) Care to Stay? London: Employers’ Organisation for Local Government.

McLean (2003)

McLean, J. (2003) ‘Men as Minority: Men Employed in Statutory Social Care Work’, Journal of Social Work 3(1): 45-68.

Smith (2003)

Smith, M. (2003) ‘Towards a Professional Identity and Knowledge Base: Is Residential Child Care Still Social Work?’, Journal of Social Work 3(2): 235-252.