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Urgent need for Social Care People Plan: Care Provider Alliance response to new funding to bolster staffing

17 January 2021

In response to the government’s announcement of a new £120million fund for Local Authorities to bolster staffing, Kathy Roberts, Chair of the Care Provider Alliance says:

“I’m sure I speak for care providers everywhere when I say that we are delighted with today’s announcement of additional funding to the sector to bolster staffing and that the operational constraint of staff movement has been overturned.

“The care sector is under immense pressure right now, similar to that experienced by our NHS colleagues as a result of the new variant of the virus. High staff absences due to staff having to self-isolate, shield or provide childcare responsibilities adds to the pressures already experienced in the social care sector.

“Now more than ever we also must turn our attention to staffing solutions for the many community services such as home care, mental health, liaison and diversion, homeless support and crisis prevention. Recruitment and retention has been a sector-wide issue for many years, with the 2020 Skills for Care workforce report highlighting the immediate need for over 100,000 care workers. Reducing the 30% turnover rates typical in the sector will also require a long-term, strategic approach to social care pay and conditions.

“This is why the Care Provider Alliance is calling for a long-term Social Care People Plan. Our aim being to have parity with the NHS, in terms of recognition as a skilled workforce, and in terms of reward through comparable pay and conditions.”

Note to Editors§

The Care Provider Alliance (CPA) brings together the 10 main national associations, which represent independent and voluntary adult social care providers in England.  We work to represent the sector and ensure a coordinated response to the major issues that affect it.

The CPA brings together the ten national associations, which represent private, voluntary and community sector providers. We speak for the whole of the adult social care sector including care homes, home care services, Shared Lives schemes and retirement communities.

CPA members cover almost 10,000 organisations, employ over 600,000 staff and support an estimated 1 million people.

For more information on the Care Provider Alliance visit our website

Media contact: Care Provider Alliance, info@careprovideralliance.org.uk