SfC&D provides expert advice and intelligence about the sector workforce, now and in the future. SfC&D is the leading organisation taking forward workforce research for our sector in the UK. SfC&D works in partnership with a range of research organisations, employers and sector bodies to better understand the challenges facing our sector.

This includes innovative research to help ensure workforce development leads to better outcomes for service users, ensuring that employers invest in skills and learning that has an impact that leads to better, more efficient services. SfC&D has demonstrated through research that workforce development generally has a positive impact upon outcomes for service users. We now aim to provide employers with the practical tools and information they need to find the right workforce development options for their organisation, improving learning and achieving better value for money from their investment.

SfC&D research also aims to help the sector to attract and retain the best talent, whether managers and leaders, outstanding professionals or simply people with the commitment and attributes to be world class carers. We aim to be able to match the right people with the right skills to jobs that make a difference to people's lives, throughout their lives.

SfC&D has undertaken research to establish what the perceptions of the sector amongst the general public, jobseekers and the general public are. The findings from this research will inform our work with employers to promote jobs and careers in the sector.

Research strategy and Governance

All SfC&D's research is carried out within the guidelines of our Research Governance and Ethics Framework: Its approach will be applied to all research projects carried out by, with, for, and on behalf of SfC&D. SfC&D also seeks stakeholder input to research projects as we conduct them, right from their inception to completion and publishing. If you are interested in contributing in this way, please contact hanna.buchheit@skillsforcareanddevelopment.org.uk

Current research projects
Productivity and Outcomes

SfC&D has commissioned the Personal Social Services Research Unit (PSSRU) to undertake research into the impact of different forms of workforce development, working practices and worker characteristics upon outcomes for service users. This will attempt to measure the impact of different forms of workforce development, worker characteristics and working practices upon outcomes for service users.

SfC&D expects that this will provide the basis for an evaluation tool for employers and potentially, a recruitment tool to aid selection of workers who are more likely to be effective and productive. The project will also produce a feasibility study to establish whether this approach can be extended to self-directed support.

Fieldwork will take place during Autumn 2011 and this project will report during 2012.

Social care staff with a qualification provide better quality care

SfC&D recently published a research report which shows that residential care homes with a higher proportion of qualified care staff provide better outcomes for residents. The research study, undertaken by the Personal Social Services Research Unit (PSSRU), looked at the quality of life of adults living in 125 residential care homes. The study investigated the factors that might affect quality of care, such as the care practices followed, the training and qualifications that staff have completed. The study found that where a greater proportion of staff had, or were working towards Scottish/National Vocational Qualifications (S/NVQs), resident outcomes were better. Structural issues such as how homelike the environment was were also better where more staff had or were working towards an S/NVQ.

Published Research Reports/ governance documents
SfC&D Publications

SfC&D publishes a large number of research reports, labour market intelligence reports and briefing papers. Click on the link below to take you to our publications page where you will find all of our publications.