Look Who’s Talking:
A Career in Care
Sue Learner, editor of carehome.co.uk and homecare.co.uk, talks to BSA Today about how the pandemic has led to a huge rise in the shortand long-term opportunities in the adult social care sector.
T Sue Learner Editor of carehome.co.uk and homecare.co.uk Sue Learner is Editor of carehome. co.uk as well as homecare.co.uk and daynurseries.co.uk. She is a voice for the social care and childcare sector and regularly speaks on both radio and TV. She is also a freelance journalist and has written for numerous publications, including The Guardian, The Telegraph, BMJ and Nursing Standard. She is host of the Let’s Talk About Care podcast.
www.bluestreamacademy.com
he pandemic has put care homes very much in the public eye. This has heightened awareness of care workers and the crucial role they have played during the past year, which has led to a huge rise in people wanting a job in care. Applications have soared during the past 2 years, with the number quadrupling between March 2019 and March 2021, according to carehome.co.uk, the UK’s leading care-home jobs board. Applications through carehome.co.uk rose from 5,347 in March 2019 to 21,436 in March 2021; meanwhile, homecare.co.uk, the leading home-care jobs site, has seen a similar rise with applications leaping from 419 in March 2019 to 3,581 in March 2021.
Kathryn Lewis, who manages the jobs board for carehome.co.uk and homecare.co.uk said: “One of the good things that has come out of the pandemic is that a spotlight has
been shone on the incredible work that care workers do and people have been able to see the difference they make to older and disabled people. It is good news that we have this influx of people coming into the sector, as many care providers struggle with staff shortages and agency staff were seen as one of the contributary factors to COVID-19 spreading during the pandemic. This will help the care sector stay sustainable in terms of staffing and ensure there are enough care workers to provide essential care to everyone who needs it.” Occupancy rates in care homes have fallen during the pandemic, but social care analysts Carterwood predict these will rise to prepandemic levels by the end of this year,[1] as vaccinations start to make their impact felt, coupled with the demand of an ageing population Over the past year, the care sector has seen people applying for jobs from wide and diverse backgrounds. Continued on Page 16
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