An overview of our progress against this outcome in 2024 to 2025
We’ve seen an increase in the way people recognise and value the social care and early years workforce, but there’s more work to be done – especially in making sure people working in social care and early years feel valued by the public.
Every two years, we ask 1,000 members of the public what they think about social care and early years in Wales via the Wales Omnibus Survey. In 2025, the results showed:
- 32 per cent have a higher opinion of people working in social care than they did three years ago (10 per cent said it’s because they value the work they do)
- 24 per cent have a higher opinion of people working in childcare and early years than they did three years ago (13 per cent said it’s because they value the work they do)
- 74 per cent think people who work in social care should receive the same pay and benefits as people working in similar roles in the NHS.
Our 2024 survey of the social care workforce revealed that:
- 80 per cent of the workforce feel valued by the people they support
- 51 per cent feel valued by the public
- 68 per cent of the workforce are happy with their terms and conditions
- 11 per cent were employed on a zero-hours contract – 65 per cent of those would prefer to be on a fixed or regular hours contract
- 42 per cent were ‘living comfortably’ or ‘doing alright’ financially, 32 per cent were ‘just about getting by’, and 23 per cent were finding it ‘quite’ or ‘very’ difficult to get by.
- 59 per cent were finding it either ‘a lot’ or ‘slightly’ more difficult to manage financially compared to last year, and 11 per cent either ‘slightly’ or ‘much’ easier
- 46 per cent of the workforce are dissatisfied with their pay and 35 per cent are satisfied.
We play a significant role in the recognition and value of the social care and early years workforce. The main initiatives we focused on for 2024 to 2025 to support this were:
Provide national leadership to influence social care and early years policy, service delivery and improvement in the provision of person-centred care and support
A trend analysis of the last three perception surveys with Members of the Senedd (MSs) showed a clear improvement in their awareness, understanding and positive perception of us over the past four years. We continue to be actively involved in a range of networks supporting social care and early years initiatives, including the National Office for Care and Support and Integrated Community Care and Systems Leadership.
We responded to 23 consultations, showing our ongoing commitment to shaping policy and service provision. Our engagement and evidence-based approach align with shaping person-centred care in Wales to improve the recognition and value of the social care and early years workforce.
Social Care Work Forum and Pay and Progression
Our social care workforce deserves fair reward that reflects the crucial part they play in the well-being of people and communities.
As members of the Social Care Work Forum, we continued to influence and support the embedding of fair work and the development of the Fair Work Forum’s Pay and Progression Framework (Real Living Wage). The aim of the Pay and Progression framework is to make sure social care workers are fairly rewarded, can progress in their careers, and have dignified and secure employment.
Share good practice with others, champion the work of the sectors and act as an ambassador for change
We held our annual Accolades awards on 25 April 2024. It was an opportunity for us to recognise, celebrate and share excellent practice in social care and childcare, play and early years in Wales. The Accolades are open to care workers at all levels, as well as teams, projects and organisations from across the public, voluntary and independent sectors that have made a positive difference to people’s lives. Eight projects and 10 individuals were chosen as finalists for 2024, out of 93 entries and nominations.
We know how much of a difference the winners and highly commended finalists make to the lives of the people they support from what they’ve told us.
We also held our Caring in Welsh Award in August 2024. This annual award recognises, celebrates and shares the work of those who’ve made a real difference to people’s lives by providing care and support through the medium of Welsh. This year, five workers from across the social care and childcare, play and early years sectors were chosen as finalists out of 22 nominations. More than 5,200 votes were cast in a public poll to decide the winner, with the winner receiving the award at the National Eisteddfod Care Day in Pontypridd on 6 August. This shows how much people value being able to receive care and support from someone who can speak Welsh and the important part it plays in making sure people receive dignified, high-quality care.
Developing a service to support employers
In 2024 to 2025, our employer support service held 22 events for 277 people from 126 organisations across social care . The service offersa range of services, support and resources to social care employers. The service also met 579 people at other related events. We’ll continue to develop our work in this area to make sure we provide meaningful support to employers and respond to their needs.