The adult care sector is facing one of the toughest recruitment landscapes in recent memory. Across the country, care providers are feeling the pinch. Demand for high-quality adult care services is rising fast, yet the people needed to deliver care services are getting harder to find.
Recent figures from Skills for Care show vacancy rates in adult social care are consistently above 9% across England, significantly higher than the national average, with current numbers being more than 130,000 posts. For many employers, simply keeping adult care services fully staffed has become a year-round challenge.
A growing and ageing population means more complex care needs.
At the same time, other sectors such as retail, hospitality and even logistics -compete for the same entry-level talent, often offering similar pay without the physical or emotional demands of care work. Add in the fact that staff turnover in adult care can be high, particularly in the first year, and the scale of the problem is clear.
Some providers are starting to break the mould with approaches that do more than post another job advert:
One of the strongest signals an employer can send is a promise to invest in people’s development. When a new recruit knows they can earn a recognised qualification, the job immediately looks like the start of a career, not just a stopgap.
That’s where Realise can help.
Through nationally recognised TQUK adult care programmes - ranging from Level 2 right up to Level 5 - new and existing staff can specialise in areas such as dementia care, mental health support, or domiciliary services. Training is designed to work around shift patterns and builds skills that are valued across the sector.
Another advantage of investing in government-funded training for your staff is the time-bound results employers can expect. If a staff member embarks on a Level 2 or Level 3 Diploma, they could be qualified in less than 9 months and bring immediate improvements to their everyday practice.
Employers who can point to this kind of structured, accredited training find it easier to attract applicants and most importantly- keep them. It builds loyalty, improves confidence and helps raise the quality of care for service users.
Employers partnering with Realise can expect:
These benefits not only help attract new candidates but also improve retention, as staff see tangible opportunities to develop their careers within the organisation.
Recruiting in adult care will never be effortless, but a strong learning and development offer—like the accredited programmes delivered by Realise—can make a genuine difference.
It shows potential employees that their skills will grow, their qualifications will count, and their work will be part of a long and rewarding career.