Well-being has increased among the social care workforce in Wales, but anxiety levels are also high – these are some of the findings revealed in our 2025 Have Your Say survey.
Our annual Have Your Say survey was carried out between January and March 2025. In total, 5,707 social care workers from a range of roles responded to the survey – an increase of nearly 14 per cent compared to last year.
As in previous years, most people who work in social care do it because they want to make a difference to people’s lives.
2025 Have Your Say workforce survey report
Read the full report here
Last year, our annual workforce survey found that the well-being of social care workers in Wales was below the UK average. This year, the same survey found that satisfaction with life, happiness yesterday and feelings of life being worthwhile have all increased and are now higher than the UK average.
Workplace culture could be a contributing factor towards the rise in well-being in the social care workforce in Wales.
Despite challenges facing the sector, the survey findings show that morale was good (83 per cent) and social care workers continued to feel valued by the people they support (81 per cent). The percentage of workers who feel supported by their colleagues (81 per cent) and managers (73 per cent) was also higher this year than in 2024.
Unfortunately, the workforce also reported higher anxiety levels than last year, with these also above the UK average. These factors were measured using the four well-being measures set out by the Office for National Statistics.
Social workers reported the highest level of anxiety in the sector. Workload (35 per cent), paperwork (27 per cent) and worrying about things outside of work (24 per cent) were listed as the main causes of stress.
Sarah McCarty, our Chief Executive, said: “I’d like to say a huge 'diolch' to everyone who took the time to complete the survey. Your contributions have given us valuable insights into what it’s like to work in social care in Wales today.
“The results of this survey once again demonstrate the commitment of the social care workforce in Wales to making a difference to people’s lives.
“It’s great to see that well-being levels have increased, and that the majority of people feel supported and valued by their colleagues and managers. However, high anxiety levels across the sector are a big concern.
“I’d like to remind everyone working in the sector that resources are available to support you and your work. Our positive cultures guide, as well as a range of well-being tools and resources are all available on our website.
“We’ll use the findings of the survey to guide the support and services we offer, as well as influencing the work of partner organisations to make sure the voice of the workforce is heard.”
The Minister for Children and Social Care, Dawn Bowden MS, said: “These findings highlight the dedication of our social care workforce and it is encouraging to see improvements in areas such as well-being, life satisfaction and happiness. The report clearly shows that people choose to work in care out of a deep desire to help others and that is something we must continue to champion.
“There are ongoing pressures and we take the rise in reported anxiety levels seriously. Support is available through Canopi — our free mental health service for health and social care staff — and we encourage anyone who needs it to reach out.
“The findings also highlight the importance of our work to improve pay, terms and conditions. We are committed to driving forward these improvements because a valued, supported workforce is essential to delivering high-quality care.”
To read the full 2025 Have Your Say survey report and a summary of responses visit our Insight Collective website.
On the Insight Collective, you'll also find short reports about each of the following job groups:
This year’s survey was carried out on our behalf by researchers at Buckinghamshire New University, Bath Spa University and the British Association of Social Workers (BASW).
Have Your Say 2025 key findings
Pay and conditions
Pay is still a concern and plays a part in some wanting to leave the sector.
The report found that:
- 38 per cent were satisfied with their pay (42 per cent dissatisfied)
- fewer than half (48 per cent) of the respondents said they were finding it ‘more’ difficult to manage financially than a year ago – down from 59 per cent in 2024 and 82 per cent in 2023
- 22 per cent still say they’re finding it ‘quite’ or ‘very’ difficult to get by financially
- 38 per cent have access to sick pay beyond statutory
- 24 per cent have access to family-friendly policies, such as flexible working, carers leave and parental leave.
Have Your Say 2025 key findings
Other main findings include:
- 78 per cent felt able to meet the needs of the people they care for
- most people feel they get the right training to do their job well (86 per cent), but almost half (47 per cent) feel they need more to progress their career
- 37 per cent said they could speak at least some Welsh, while 20 per cent said they were able to use their Welsh at work either all or most of the time
- 62 per cent felt safe at work, this is down from 66 per cent in 2024
- 66 per cent said they had the right staff to provide services, up from 57 per cent in 2024.
Resources to support the well-being of the social care workforce
Remember, a range of resources are available to help support the well-being of the social care workforce. These include:
- our positive cultures guide
- our well-being framework
- our health and well-being pages
- Canopi, the free mental health service for health and social care staff.
About the Have Your Say survey
Our Have Your Say survey asks questions about things such as health and well-being, pay and conditions, and what people like about working in social care. We also ask questions about things such as bullying, harassment and discrimination, to get a deeper understanding of workers’ experiences.
Findings from our Have Your Say survey will be used as part of the Workforce Race Equality Standard – a tool that will help monitor the experience of people from ethnic minority backgrounds who work in health and social care in Wales. This is part of our commitment to the Anti-racist Wales Action Plan.