As we prepare to launch another round of funding, we will share a series of blogs from members of the Better Careers for Better Care Community of Practice. The Community of Practice brings together grant partners to build relationships across different parts of the care sector, to learn from each other and act as critical friends as they seek to address the many challenges facing the social care workforce.
In this first blog, Olivia Firth, Policy and Projects Manager at The Care Workers’ Charity, reflects on what being part of the Community of Practice has meant for her, and the importance of these spaces for the sector more broadly.
Being part of the Community of Practice as part of the Better Careers for Better Care programme has offered a valuable opportunity to step back from day-to-day delivery and reflect more deeply on the structural challenges facing the adult social care workforce. It has also reinforced something that often gets lost in policy and strategy discussions: complex problems cannot be solved in isolation, and progress depends on creating spaces where different perspectives can be brought together honestly and constructively.
The Community of Practice brings together a diverse group of stakeholders from across adult social care and related sectors. One of the most valuable aspects of the Community of Practice is the chance to explore difficult issues collectively, rather than defensively. Workforce shortages, low pay, burnout, immigration policy, professional recognition and wellbeing are not new topics, but they are often discussed in fragmented ways or through narrow lenses. Bringing together people from different parts of the system creates space for more nuanced conversations about how these issues intersect and compound one another.
A recurring theme has been the tension between short-term system pressures and long-term workforce sustainability. Many recognise that adult social care has become reliant on the resilience and goodwill of its workforce to keep services running, often at significant personal cost to care workers themselves. This mirrors what we see daily at The Care Workers’ Charity through our Advisory Board and Champions Project, crisis grant applications and wellbeing support: a workforce holding the system together while struggling to maintain financial stability, mental health and work- life balance.
The first year learning report usefully captures this sense that workforce challenges are not isolated failures, but symptoms of deeper structural issues. One of the strongest messages emerging is that workforce reform cannot be effective without the insight of those delivering care. Communities of Practice like this one have a vital role to play, but they must sit alongside, not instead of, structures that centre care worker voices.
Another key learning is the value of trust and openness in tackling sensitive topics. Having a diverse group of stakeholders in the room allows for assumptions to be challenged and for the unintended consequences of policy decisions to be surfaced more clearly. These conversations are often avoided or oversimplified, yet they are critical to understanding why retention remains such a persistent issue.
For us at The CWC, one of the most important takeaways is that learning does not only come from solutions, but from the process itself. Creating space for reflection, challenge and cross-sector learning is not a ‘nice to have’, it is essential in a system as complex and stretched as adult social care. The learning report reflects this well, capturing both the substance of discussions and the conditions that made them possible.
Looking ahead, the challenge will be ensuring that the insights generated through the Community of Practice do not remain confined to reports or closed discussions. They must inform tangible action, particularly action that improves the everyday realities of care workers. This includes better pay, clearer progression, safer working conditions and genuine recognition of care work as skilled, professional labour.
Ultimately, the Community of Practice reinforces a simple but powerful truth: no single organisation or sector holds the answer to the workforce crisis in adult social care. Progress depends on collective responsibility, honest engagement with uncomfortable realities, and a willingness to listen, especially to those whose voices are too often missing from the room. As this work continues, maintaining that focus will be critical if learning is to translate into lasting change.
A further open funding call will launch by the end of February 2026, focused on funding projects that create and embed cultures of trust, respect and collaboration across adult social care. To receive programme updates and future opportunities, email Programme Development Lead Holly, to be added to the mailing list.