Latest figures shows Wales has largely stable social care workforce

The latest picture of the registered social care workforce is now available on the Care Council for Wales website, with the profile for social workers published this week to complete the suite of reports for 2015.

Produced annually from the data held on the Register of Social Care Workers, the role-specific profiles aim to paint a national picture, identifying key trends and figures. Each of the profiles is presented as an easy-read ‘click & go guide’ on the facts and figures page of the website for those interested in finding out more.

The latest profile, the 2015 profile of social workers, shows a largely stable workforce, with comparatively little movement of social workers off the Register.

The number joining the Register has continued to grow slightly year on year, and the small percentage of those leaving the Register is complemented by newly qualified social workers and those moving to Wales to work or returning to practice.

Of those who did leave the register, the most common reason given was retirement.

The number of those who have remained in their post for more than a decade had also increased slightly by two per cent from 2013.

Also recently added to the website was the 2015 profile of registered child care workers.

Similar to the social workers’ profile, the report showed little change in the numbers registered with us.

Annual turnover of residential child care workers had increased to nearly a quarter. As half of those leaving the Register were qualified, the percentage of qualified workers had fallen slightly for the third year running to 58%.

The profile has again highlighted that efforts to increase the proportion of the workforce that is qualified is again hampered by the turnover within the sector with staff achieving the qualifications leaving the workforce.

Click here to view the full range of 2015 profiles.