Social Care Workforce
A sufficient, skilled and sustainable social care workforce is essential in providing high quality, person-centred care to vulnerable residents living in South West London. However, there are considerable challenges in achieving this with chronic problems in recruiting and retaining a skilled workforce to a sector characterised by low pay and low status, alongside intense competition from other sectors.
The number of vacancies in social care in South West London is already high and without concerted action will be further exacerbated as increasing demand for care services is estimated to create a further 10,000 jobs by 2035.
SWL Social Care Workforce Strategy
The six South West London boroughs of Croydon, Kingston, Merton, Richmond, Sutton and Wandsworth have collaborated with wider partners to develop a strategy covering the period 2022 – 2025 setting out how their joint action will support the development of a more sustainable social care workforce in South West London. The report developed by SCIE and Skills for Care can be found here.
Visit www.swlsocialcarehub.org.uk for more information on any of the workforce projects below.
Any queries contact sheryl.brand@southlondonpartnership.co.uk
South West London Social Care Academy Hub
The South West London social care academy hub funded by the the Mayor of London’s Academies Programme to September 2025 is part of the Mayor’s Academy Programme supporting local residents, especially those from underrepresented groups (BAME, Men, Young people (16-24), Older people (50+), Lone parents, People with caring responsibilities, Deaf and disabled) into good jobs in the social care sector. The Hub functions as a SWL ‘go to’ resource which provides accessible and coordinated information and support about jobs, training and careers in social care.
Visit the Social Care Academy Hub website for the latest information.
Or to contact the team, email SWLSocialCareAcademyHub@southlondonpartnership.co.uk
Supported Placements
Funded as part of the ICP Workforce Programmes, this project will run until 31st March 2025 and support South West London residents to find opportunities to work on a three week paid placement in a range of roles within the Social Care sector. The programme is geared towards residents who are either unemployed or economically inactive, with the aim to improve pathways into work.
Click here to find out more.
For further detail contact swlsocialcareacademyhub@southlondonpartnership.co.uk
Apprenticeships
As part of the wider South West London Apprenticeship Hub, South London Partnership are leading a programme of work to coordinate and build the social care apprenticeship offer in South West London – working with employers, training providers, South London Careers Hub and other partners with the aim to to increase availability, awareness, take up and quality of apprenticeships in the social care sector in SWL.
For further detail contact: Social Care Apprenticeships Lead, Trish Varndall, at Trish.Varndall@southlondonpartnership.co.uk
International Recruitment
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) provided funding to South West London as part of the Adult Social Care International Recruitment Fund 24/25. The 24/25 International Recruitment (IR) Programme is focused on supporting displaced international care workers into new employment with another care provider sponsor.
South West London is building on the partnership infrastructure and governance, developed in the first year of the programme (23/24), with the aim to create strategies for preventing and addressing exploitative employment practices, whilst also supporting the continuity of care provision.
The South London Partnership have developed a programme of support focussed on better international recruitment and management of international recruits working closely with partners and social care employers.
For further detail please contact, International Recruitment internationalrecruitment@southlondonpartnership.co.uk
For further information and details on the above workforce programmes visit www.swlsocialcarehub.org.uk or contact the SWL Social Care Workforce Lead sheryl.brand@southlondonpartnership.co.uk