Care Work: Social Care
Workforce Research
Partnership
Research Summary
March 2025 – February 2030
This partnership focuses on the social care workforce. The social care sector is in crisis, with employers struggling to hire and keep staff. This affects not only the workforce but also the people supported by social care services. Our research will explore four key areas: labour supply, demand and markets; wellbeing of social care staff; innovation in work conditions, roles and the way work is organised; and the use of data and technology to improve workforce practices.
The partnership brings together real-world workforce expertise from:
- Four local authorities: Kent, Bexley, Tameside and Leeds
- Three national social care sector organisations: Skills for Care (the workforce development and planning body), The National Care Forum (membership organisation for not-for-profit providers) and The Home Care Association (professional association focused on home care)
- Social care researchers with expertise in health and care, human resources, labour economics, work and wellbeing, and employment
Research team
Chief Investigator:
Professor Ann-Marie Towers (King’s College London)
Joint Lead Applicant:
Professor Karen Spilsbury (University of Leeds)
Co-investigators:
Dr Florin Vadean, Dr Jane Townson, Dr Julie MacInnes, Dr Kirsty Haunch, Dr Kritika Samsi, Dr Nadia Brookes, Dr Nicky Taylor, Dr Serena Vicario, Dr Wenjing Zhang, Mrs Anna Jenkins, Mrs Davina Figgett, Mrs Katherine O’Connell, Mrs Penny Jayne Lawlor, Mrs Susan Chandler, Ms Catharine Roff, Ms Liz Jones, Professor Carl Thompson, Professor Carol Atkinson, Professor Claire Surr, Professor Roman Kislov.
Related news and outputs
Partners and funding
Project enquiries
Professor Carol Atkinson, c.d.atkinson@mmu.ac.uk