Retention in social care isn’t a new issue within the sector, but it is an issue which is becoming increasingly more of a problem with the number of leavers gradually rising year on year. This, of course, leads to the number of vulnerable adults and children needing care services left at risk due to the unstable levels of those available to care for them.

At Charles Hunter Associates, our social care recruitment team work hard to ensure their service is built on matching the right client to the right candidate by setting accurate expectations for the open roles they have. Our reputation is built around a focus to improve retention in the sector by taking an honest and open approach to recruitment.

When discussing the problem of retention in social care, some of our consultants put forward their ideas on why it’s so low and what they do to try and help the situation to improve.

 Sophie: “Working within social care is not without its challenges. Lots of people are attracted to the industry to make a difference and to help vulnerable people.

“When entering the social care industry, I think lots of people perhaps rush into working with a company when a job becomes available, as opposed to doing some research on companies and seeing if they would be a good fit for the job role, the client group and the responsibilities that come along with it.

“As an agency, we work on an essentially matchmaking basis, making sure that our candidates are not only a good fit in terms of experience, but on culture and values. With this approach, we can actively reduce the high level of turnover within the care industry, for the clients we work for.”

 Anusha: “Social care is one of the most rewarding sectors to work in. Being an active contributor to helping vulnerable people gain independence and confidence can provide many with job satisfaction.

“However, this gratification comes with its own specific challenges. Social care is never a 9-5 job and it can often come with unsociable hours and on-call duties that not everyone is prepared to take on. As consultants, it is our job to challenge candidates on the realities of the sector, as well as the rewards. The benefits of using a specialist social care recruitment agency are all about retaining staff.

“For many companies, the minimum requirements to be a support worker are a clean DBS and, often in domiciliary care, a driver’s licence. Companies then haemorrhage money by taking staff through a vigorous training and induction process including theory, manual handling, and shadowing, only to have them leave in the first month as the candidate hasn’t been aware of how challenging the role can be.

“As recruiters, we identify candidates who have a natural empathy and experience. Personally, I have worked in the sector myself so I know exactly what I am looking for and what candidates would excel in the sector.”

Our social care team handle recruitment for the sector all over the UK. When you register with us, you’ll be designated a consultant who specialises in your area to handle all aspects of your job search and your move into the next step of your career.

To register with us as a client or a candidate, please call 0118 948 5555 or email info@charecruitment.com.