Calling all social care researchers, providers, care workers, policy makers and regulators – join this free webinar to discuss emerging evidence on the implications and impact of COVID-19 on the social care workforce.

In this webinar the Retention and Sustainability of Social Care Workforce (RESSCW) research team presented findings from the first wave of their survey, which ran from April  to June 2021, that explores the various implications and cumulative impact of living and working through the COVID-19 pandemic on the workforce, organisations and the wider health and care systems.

The discussion covered findings related to:

1. The impact of COVID-19 on care workers’ general wellbeing, working conditions, and intentions to stay or leave the employer and/or sector;
2. How individual and work characteristics impact on workers’ experiences; and
3. Differences in the experiences by care settings, especially between domiciliary and residential care?

The RESSCW project aims to help social care providers, commissioners, regulators, and policymakers understand the specific organisational and individual drivers of staff retention in the social care sector. This work has been extended to examine the impact of COVID-19 on workforce retention and sustainability. As part of this project the RESSCW research team is conducting a two-waves longitudinal survey that focuses on the various implications of COVID-19 on the social care workforce to fully understand the cumulative impact of change as well as the implications of system and organisational strategies.

If you have any questions, please contact Grace Collins: g.collins@kent.ac.uk

More information

The Retention and Sustainability of Social Care Workforce (RESSCW) project is funded by the Health Foundation’s Efficiency Research Programme (award reference number: 1325587). The Health Foundation is an independent charity committed to bringing about better health and health care for people in the UK.

The RESSCW project is a collaboration between the University of Kent, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, University College London, City University of London, and Skills for Care. It aims to help social care providers, commissioners, regulators and policy-makers understand the specific organisational and individual drivers of staff retention and wellbeing as well as the impact of Covid-19 on the social care sector. It runs between 2019 and 2022.ed