Jobs and Careers Spring 2020 - 139

Words Trish Lesslie

T

2

he care sector has
been under-resourced
and under-valued
for years, but society
has finally woken up
to its importance.
Footage of carers putting their
lives at risk to look after the most
vulnerable in society during the
coronavirus pandemic has brought
overdue recognition to this previously
disregarded workforce, with more of
us considering jobs in care as a result.
Around 850,000 adults receive
publicly funded long-term social care,
primarily in care and nursing homes
or in their own homes. In addition,
there are over 220,000 episodes of
short-term care provided each year.
The sector currently employs over
1.5m people in England alone, according
to the Skills For Care (SFC), which

You don't need qualifications
For most roles in the care sector,
formal qualifications aren't necessary.
It's far more important to have the
right attitude and attributes, such as
patience and a desire to help others.
However, if you're keen to progress
your career with training, there
are plenty of courses available at
all levels. Diplomas are often fully
funded by the government. Look
for SFC endorsed providers.

3

Age isn't a barrier
You don't have to be in the first flush
of youth to work in adult care. In fact,
25% of people currently working in
the sector are aged 55 and above. So
if you're looking for a fresh start, your
age shouldn't be a barrier to a role
in care. Bear in mind though that
you'll need to be able to help lift your

Whether you're helping people to stay in
their own homes or working in a residential
facility, you'll make a huge difference
supports adult social care employers,
and with the number of elderly
people in the population set to rise,
more carers will be needed over time.
Most social care staff are employed
by the country's 18,500 small and
medium-sized private providers.
Staffing shortages are high. The
number of vacancies could have a lot
to do with the fact that the work is
physically and emotionally demanding
while pay is low. Many carers are on
minimum wage and while it's possible
wages could rise to reflect growing public
appreciation, there are no guarantees.
If you're looking for a change of
career, here are five great reasons why
you might want to consider caring.

charges, who may not be able to get
out of bed unassisted, so at least a
moderate level of fitness is required.

Flexible hours

There are plenty of vacancies

4

1

With a career in care you can fit your
work around other commitments.
Flexi-hours are often the norm and
around a quarter of the care workforce
(24%) are on zero-hours contracts,
according to SFC. So whether you're
studying, raising a young family or
caring for a relative, you should be
able to find a role that fits in with the
other important things in your life.

S O C I A L CA R E

Job satisfaction is high
Despite the low pay, care workers
tend to be very committed and enjoy
spending time with the people they
look after. If you're the right fit for
the job, then caring for adults can be
deeply rewarding. Whether you're
helping people to stay in their own
homes or working in a residential
facility, you'll make a huge difference
to the quality of life of those most in
need. You may feel shattered at the
end of your shift, but you'll have done
something seriously worthwhile.

5

With the economy shrinking and
redundancies widespread, job
opportunities in many industries are
disappearing fast. That's not the case
in care. It's estimated that nearly 8%
of roles in adult social care in England
are vacant, which equates to around
122,000 vacancies at any given time. So,
if you're planning to pivot to care, the
jobs are most definitely out there.

"Seeing the
difference
you've made
is fulfilling"
Tony Stewart is community
connector at Community
Integrated Care
"I started my career at Community
Integrated Care as a support worker
10 years ago, before advancing to a
community connector. I'd achieved
my NVQ level 2 and have had lots
of opportunities for additional
training and qualifications that
have led to my current role. I've
also gained an understanding of
mental health conditions and first
aid, and I'm currently completing
my NVQ level 3 in lead adult
care worker for mental health.
"My role involves supporting
people with learning disabilities,
autism and mental health concerns
to build their life skills so they
can eventually live independently.
One day, I'll liaise with social
workers and the next I'll organise
a social event - it's very varied.
"People from all stages and walks
of life use our services, and gauging
their trust can be challenging.
Helping people make lifestyle
changes and in turn helping them
move towards independent living
is a really rewarding experience.
Seeing the difference you've made
to someone's life and watching them
grow in confidence and motivation
is definitely the most fulfilling part!"

Find out more
* Care UK careers.careuk.com
* Carers UK carersuk.org
* Skills for Care skillsforcare.org.uk
* Social care jobs socialcare.co.uk

JOBS & CAREERS /// 139

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http://careers.careuk.com http://www.carersuk.org http://skillsforcare.org.uk http://socialcare.co.uk
Jobs and Careers Spring 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Jobs and Careers Spring 2020
