How do I attract and retain good carers?

Answered by Sheila Scott

Dear S

Attracting and retaining good carers is essential to delivering high-quality care and support and given that there are approximately 440,000 care workers leave their job every year and there are around 122,000 vacancies at any one time, it is a challenge. Before you start though, I would suggest you do a bit of homework first. Decide what your ideal care worker is. What skills do they need, what availabilities do they need to have? Have a look at your existing workforce, what gaps do you have. You then need to think about what you can offer your carers and it is important to remember while the pay is important, it is not always all about money. Talk to your longest-serving staff and find out what makes them stay with you. When you do find someone, you need to make sure you set them up for success, they know what the job is going to be like, you welcome them to your business, ‘onboard’ them is a phrase that is often used. Support them through the first few weeks and months making sure they have the right values, behaviour and that you’re are a good fit for each other. If you are looking for more detailed help Skills for Care have some excellent resources that can be found here.