Social care workforce report – Wales | Catalogue of Social Care Data

Social care workforce report – Wales

Measures describe a question asked to a participant during a survey or an item of information requested from a manager when they fill out a data return. For example, ‘Who do you live with?’ is a measure and the possible responses might be, mother, father, brother, sister etc.

Question/Data item wording	Response scale wording	Need OR provision OR receipt	Description of measure	Start Year	Age of interest	Age from	Age to	Informant	Multiple rater	Reporting term	Sweep title	Standard instrument	Dataset
Ethnicity	White Welsh Asian Welsh White British Asian British White Irish Asian Pakistani White Europeam Asian Indian White and Asian Asian Chinese White / Black African Asian Bangladeshi White / Black Caribbean Asian (other) White (other) Arabic Black Welsh Mixed ethnicity Black British Mixed (other) Black Caribbean Gypsy / Traveller Black African Other ethnicity Black (other) Prefer not to say	Provision;	Ethnicity - social care workers	2021	16-120	16	120	Data manager	No	Past year	Social care workforce report 2021	No	SCWR
Setting type:	Adult placement schemes Residential care – adult Residential care – mental health services Residential care – children Domiciliary care Supported living services Day services Social work teams – adults Social work teams – children Social work teams – all Personal assistants Foster carers Central (support) staff	Provision;	Setting type - social care workers	2021	16-120	16	120	Data manager	No	Past year	Social care workforce report 2021	No	SCWR
Role types:	Adult placement manager Adult placement worker Adviser/planner Assessor Care worker Consultant social worker Deputy manager Deputy team manager (social work) Director Internal quality assurer (IQA) Head of service (assistant director) Nursing assistant/Auxiliary nurse Manager Occupational therapy assistant Occupational therapist Other manager Other staff Physiotherapist Personal assistant Registered nurse Planner Senior care worker Registered nursing staff Service manager/Principal officer Senior practitioner Social care planning and commissioning operational officer Social care planning and commissioning manager Social worker (two to three years) Social care planning and commissioning support officer Social worker (first year in practice) Social worker (three years or more) Support worker Speech and language therapist Workforce development manager Team manager (social work) Workforce development officer/Training officer	Provision;	Role types - social care workers	2021	16-120	16	120	Data manager	No	Past year	Social care workforce report 2021	No	SCWR
Age	16 to 24 25 to 34 35 to 44 45 to 54 55 to 64 65 and over	Provision;	Age - social care workers	2021	16-120	16	120	Data manager	No	Past year	Social care workforce report 2021	No	SCWR
Gender	Male Female Gender fluid Non-binary	Provision;	Gender - social care workers	2021	16-120	16	120	Data manager	No	Past year	Social care workforce report 2021	No	SCWR
Disability	Yes No	Provision;	Disability - social care workers	2021	16-120	16	120	Data manager	No	Past year	Social care workforce report 2021	No	SCWR
Working hours per week	Up to 16 hours 16 to 36 hours 36 hours or more	Provision;	Working hours per week - social care workers	2021	16-120	16	120	Data manager	No	Past year	Social care workforce report 2021	No	SCWR
Contract status	Permanent Zero hours Casual Voluntary Bank/Agency	Provision;	Contract status - social care workers	2021	16-120	16	120	Data manager	No	Past year	Social care workforce report 2021	No	SCWR
Vacancies	To be filled Held vacant	Provision;	Vacancies - social care workers	2021	16-120	16	120	Data manager	No	Past year	Social care workforce report 2021	No	SCWR
Welsh-language proficiency	No ability Welsh entry Welsh foundation Welsh intermediate Fluent	Provision;	Welsh language proficiency - social care workers	2021	16-120	16	120	Data manager	No	Past year	Social care workforce report 2021	No	SCWR
First language	Welsh first language English first language Other first language	Provision;	First language - social care workers	2021	16-120	16	120	Data manager	No	Past year	Social care workforce report 2021	No	SCWR
Leavers	Internal transfer/ promotion Welsh Local Authority Outside Wales A private care organisation Outside social care Voluntary/3rd sector care organisation To education Left the sector Retirement Redundancy Were dismissed Left temporarily Destination unknown	Provision;	Leavers - social care workers	2023	16-120	16	120	Data manager	No	Past year	Social care workforce report 2023	No	SCWR
Joiners	Internal transfer/ promotion Welsh Local Authority Outside Wales A private care organisation Outside social care Voluntary/3rd sector care organisation From education Were not working Destination unknown	Provision;	Joiners - social care workers	2023	16-120	16	120	Data manager	No	Past year	Social care workforce report 2023	No	SCWR
Sickness	No of days short term No of days long term Stress (work related) Stress (non-work related) Other mental health Back injury Limb injury Common ill health Covid Other illness	Provision;	Sickness - social care workers	2023	16-120	16	120	Data manager	No	Past year	Social care workforce report 2023	No	SCWR
Ethnicity	White Welsh Asian Welsh White British Asian British White Irish Asian Pakistani White Europeam Asian Indian White and Asian Asian Chinese White / Black African Asian Bangladeshi White / Black Caribbean Asian (other) White (other) Arabic Black Welsh Mixed ethnicity Black British Mixed (other) Black Caribbean Gypsy / Traveller Black African Other ethnicity Black (other) Prefer not to say	Provision;	Ethnicity - social care workers	2023	16-120	16	120	Data manager	No	Past year	Social care workforce report 2023	No	SCWR
Setting type:	Adult placement schemes Residential care – adult Residential care – mental health services Residential care – children Domiciliary care Supported living services Day services Social work teams – adults Social work teams – children Social work teams – all Personal assistants Foster carers Central (support) staff	Provision;	Setting type - social care workers	2022	16-120	16	120	Data manager	No	Past year	Social care workforce report 2022	No	SCWR
Role types:	Adult placement manager Adult placement worker Adviser/planner Assessor Care worker Consultant social worker Deputy manager Deputy team manager (social work) Director Internal quality assurer (IQA) Head of service (assistant director) Nursing assistant/Auxiliary nurse Manager Occupational therapy assistant Occupational therapist Other manager Other staff Physiotherapist Personal assistant Registered nurse Planner Senior care worker Registered nursing staff Service manager/Principal officer Senior practitioner Social care planning and commissioning operational officer Social care planning and commissioning manager Social worker (two to three years) Social care planning and commissioning support officer Social worker (first year in practice) Social worker (three years or more) Support worker Speech and language therapist Workforce development manager Team manager (social work) Workforce development officer/Training officer	Provision;	Role types - social care workers	2022	16-120	16	120	Data manager	No	Past year	Social care workforce report 2022	No	SCWR
Age	16 to 24 25 to 34 35 to 44 45 to 54 55 to 64 65 and over	Provision;	Age - social care workers	2022	16-120	16	120	Data manager	No	Past year	Social care workforce report 2022	No	SCWR
Gender	Male Female Gender fluid Non-binary	Provision;	Gender - social care workers	2022	16-120	16	120	Data manager	No	Past year	Social care workforce report 2022	No	SCWR
Disability	Yes No	Provision;	Disability - social care workers	2022	16-120	16	120	Data manager	No	Past year	Social care workforce report 2022	No	SCWR
Working hours per week	Up to 16 hours 16 to 36 hours 36 hours or more	Provision;	Working hours per week - social care workers	2022	16-120	16	120	Data manager	No	Past year	Social care workforce report 2022	No	SCWR
Contract status	Permanent Zero hours Casual Voluntary Bank/Agency	Provision;	Contract status - social care workers	2022	16-120	16	120	Data manager	No	Past year	Social care workforce report 2022	No	SCWR
Vacancies	To be filled Held vacant	Provision;	Vacancies - social care workers	2022	16-120	16	120	Data manager	No	Past year	Social care workforce report 2022	No	SCWR
Welsh-language proficiency	No ability Welsh entry Welsh foundation Welsh intermediate Fluent	Provision;	Welsh language proficiency - social care workers	2022	16-120	16	120	Data manager	No	Past year	Social care workforce report 2022	No	SCWR
First language	Welsh first language English first language Other first language	Provision;	First language - social care workers	2022	16-120	16	120	Data manager	No	Past year	Social care workforce report 2022	No	SCWR
Ethnicity	White Welsh Asian Welsh White British Asian British White Irish Asian Pakistani White Europeam Asian Indian White and Asian Asian Chinese White / Black African Asian Bangladeshi White / Black Caribbean Asian (other) White (other) Arabic Black Welsh Mixed ethnicity Black British Mixed (other) Black Caribbean Gypsy / Traveller Black African Other ethnicity Black (other) Prefer not to say	Provision;	Ethnicity - social care workers	2022	16-120	16	120	Data manager	No	Past year	Social care workforce report 2022	No	SCWR
First language	Welsh first language English first language Other first language	Provision;	First language - social care workers	2023	16-120	16	120	Data manager	No	Past year	Social care workforce report 2023	No	SCWR
Welsh-language proficiency	No ability Welsh entry Welsh foundation Welsh intermediate Fluent	Provision;	Welsh language proficiency - social care workers	2023	16-120	16	120	Data manager	No	Past year	Social care workforce report 2023	No	SCWR
Vacancies	To be filled Held vacant	Provision;	Vacancies - social care workers	2023	16-120	16	120	Data manager	No	Past year	Social care workforce report 2023	No	SCWR
Contract status	Permanent Zero hours Casual Voluntary Bank/Agency	Provision;	Contract status - social care workers	2023	16-120	16	120	Data manager	No	Past year	Social care workforce report 2023	No	SCWR
Working hours per week	Up to 16 hours 16 to 36 hours 36 hours or more	Provision;	Working hours per week - social care workers	2023	16-120	16	120	Data manager	No	Past year	Social care workforce report 2023	No	SCWR
Role types:	Adult placement manager Adult placement worker Adviser/planner Assessor Care worker Consultant social worker Deputy manager Deputy team manager (social work) Director Internal quality assurer (IQA) Head of service (assistant director) Nursing assistant/Auxiliary nurse Manager Occupational therapy assistant Occupational therapist Other manager Other staff Physiotherapist Personal assistant Registered nurse Planner Senior care worker Registered nursing staff Service manager/Principal officer Senior practitioner Social care planning and commissioning operational officer Social care planning and commissioning manager Social worker (two to three years) Social care planning and commissioning support officer Social worker (first year in practice) Social worker (three years or more) Support worker Speech and language therapist Workforce development manager Team manager (social work) Workforce development officer/Training officer	Provision;	Role types - social care workers	2024	16-120	16	120	Data manager	No	Past year	Social care workforce report 2024	No	SCWR
Setting type:	Adult placement schemes Residential care – adult Residential care – mental health services Residential care – children Domiciliary care Supported living services Day services Social work teams – adults Social work teams – children Social work teams – all Personal assistants Central (support) staff Role definition	Provision;	Setting type - social care workers	2024	16-120	16	120	Data manager	No	Past year	Social care workforce report 2024	No	SCWR
Age	16 to 24 25 to 34 35 to 44 45 to 54 55 to 64 65 and over	Provision;	Age - social care workers	2024	16-120	16	120	Data manager	No	Past year	Social care workforce report 2024	No	SCWR
Gender	Male Female Gender fluid Non-binary	Provision;	Gender - social care workers	2024	16-120	16	120	Data manager	No	Past year	Social care workforce report 2024	No	SCWR
Disability	Yes No	Provision;	Disability - social care workers	2024	16-120	16	120	Data manager	No	Past year	Social care workforce report 2024	No	SCWR
Working hours per week	Up to 16 hours 16 to 36 hours 36 hours or more	Provision;	Working hours per week - social care workers	2024	16-120	16	120	Data manager	No	Past year	Social care workforce report 2024	No	SCWR
Contract status	Permanent Zero hours Casual Voluntary Bank/Agency	Provision;	Contract status - social care workers	2024	16-120	16	120	Data manager	No	Past year	Social care workforce report 2024	No	SCWR
Vacancies	To be filled Held vacant	Provision;	Vacancies - social care workers	2024	16-120	16	120	Data manager	No	Past year	Social care workforce report 2024	No	SCWR
Requires a work visa	Yes No	Provision;	Requires a work visa - social care workers	2024	16-120	16	120	Data manager	No	Past year	Social care workforce report 2024	No	SCWR
Welsh-language proficiency	No ability Welsh entry Welsh foundation Welsh intermediate Fluent	Provision;	Welsh language proficiency - social care workers	2024	16-120	16	120	Data manager	No	Past year	Social care workforce report 2024	No	SCWR
First language	Welsh first language English first language Other first language	Provision;	First language - social care workers	2024	16-120	16	120	Data manager	No	Past year	Social care workforce report 2024	No	SCWR
Joiners	Internal transfer/ promotion Welsh Local Authority Outside Wales A private care organisation Outside social care Voluntary/3rd sector care organisation From education Were not working Destination unknown	Provision;	Joiners - social care workers	2024	16-120	16	120	Data manager	No	Past year	Social care workforce report 2024	No	SCWR
Leavers	Internal transfer/ promotion Welsh Local Authority Outside Wales A private care organisation Outside social care Voluntary/3rd sector care organisation To education Left the sector Retirement Redundancy Were dismissed Left temporarily Destination unknown	Provision;	Leavers - social care workers	2024	16-120	16	120	Data manager	No	Past year	Social care workforce report 2024	No	SCWR
Sickness	No of days short term No of days long term Stress (work related) Stress (non-work related) Other mental health Back injury Limb injury Common ill health Covid Other illness	Provision;	Sickness - social care workers	2024	16-120	16	120	Data manager	No	Past year	Social care workforce report 2024	No	SCWR
Ethnicity	White Welsh Asian Welsh White British Asian British White Irish Asian Pakistani White European Asian Indian White and Asian Asian Chinese White / Black African Asian Bangladeshi White / Black Caribbean Asian (other) White (other) Arabic Black Welsh Mixed ethnicity Black British Mixed (other) Black Caribbean Gypsy / Traveller Black African Other ethnicity Black (other) Prefer not to say	Provision;	Ethnicity - social care workers	2024	16-120	16	120	Data manager	No	Past year	Social care workforce report 2024	No	SCWR
Setting type:	Adult placement schemes Residential care – adult Residential care – mental health services Residential care – children Domiciliary care Supported living services Day services Social work teams – adults Social work teams – children Social work teams – all Personal assistants Central (support) staff Role definition	Provision;	Setting type - social care workers	2023	16-120	16	120	Data manager	No	Past year	Social care workforce report 2023	No	SCWR
Role types:	Adult placement manager Adult placement worker Adviser/planner Assessor Care worker Consultant social worker Deputy manager Deputy team manager (social work) Director Internal quality assurer (IQA) Head of service (assistant director) Nursing assistant/Auxiliary nurse Manager Occupational therapy assistant Occupational therapist Other manager Other staff Physiotherapist Personal assistant Registered nurse Planner Senior care worker Registered nursing staff Service manager/Principal officer Senior practitioner Social care planning and commissioning operational officer Social care planning and commissioning manager Social worker (two to three years) Social care planning and commissioning support officer Social worker (first year in practice) Social worker (three years or more) Support worker Speech and language therapist Workforce development manager Team manager (social work) Workforce development officer/Training officer	Provision;	Role types - social care workers	2023	16-120	16	120	Data manager	No	Past year	Social care workforce report 2023	No	SCWR
Age	16 to 24 25 to 34 35 to 44 45 to 54 55 to 64 65 and over	Provision;	Age - social care workers	2023	16-120	16	120	Data manager	No	Past year	Social care workforce report 2023	No	SCWR
Gender	Male Female Gender fluid Non-binary	Provision;	Gender - social care workers	2023	16-120	16	120	Data manager	No	Past year	Social care workforce report 2023	No	SCWR
Disability	Yes No	Provision;	Disability - social care workers	2023	16-120	16	120	Data manager	No	Past year	Social care workforce report 2023	No	SCWR

Wales

Aims

The dataset provides an annual, Wales‑wide, snapshot of the social care workforce covering workforce size and characteristics. This enables policy‑makers, commissioners and sector leaders to make evidence‑informed decisions about recruitment, retention, training and service planning. The collection gathers data from local authorities and commissioned providers and is analysed and published each year.

Institution

Social Care Wales

Geographic coverage - Nations

Wales;

Start date

2021

Minimum age at recruitment

Sample Size

88,232

Sample

Study design

Administrative dataset

Sample details

The dataset covers people working in social care across Wales from local authority services and commissioned providers (commercial, not‑for‑profit and third‑sector). It is designed to reflect where and how care is delivered, and includes staff working in adult residential care, children’s residential care, domiciliary care, day services, supported living, social work teams, central/support roles and other social care services.

Sex

All

Sample Characteristics

Social care workforce of Wales

Sample size at most recent sweep

Estimated 88,232 people employed in the social care workforce in Wales (2023 collection, data gathered June–October 2023).

Individual data available (e.g. upon special request)?

No

Data Access Level

Fully open source

Data Access

https://www.socialcaredata.wales/

Regional variable present?

Yes

Local Authority variable present?

Yes

Complementary Data

N/A

Genetic Data Collected

Linked Data

n/a

HDR UK Innovation Gateway

Website

https://socialcare.wales/research-and-data/workforce-reports

Notes

Related Measures

n/a,

Study Code

SCWR

Reference paper(s)

Social Care Wales (2023) Workforce data: Who works in social care? Cardiff: Social Care Wales. Available at: https://socialcare.wales/research-and-data/workforce-reports