Just under a half of children's residential care settings had no vacancies when surveyed in 2024, compared to around 40% the previous year, findings from the children's home workforce census show.
Similarly, fewer homes are reporting difficulties finding staff and are filling roles more quickly, with more than three in five filled within three months in 2024, compared to just over half the previous year.
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However, while the proportion reporting recruitment difficulties has fallen from 69% to 62% this still means around two in three are struggling with recruitment.
In addition, 60% reported problems finding managers, which has stayed the same over the last two years, according to the figures.
Three in four respondents said applicants for roles in homes do not have the right experience, while two in three said candidates lack the right skills. Just over half said those applying lack “the right attitude or motivation”.
The proportion of homes reporting visa challenges has doubled, amid attempts by both the previous Conservative government and current Labour administration to cut immigration figures. While one in 14 children’s homes struggled to hire staff for this reason in 2023, the proportion increased to one in seven in 2024.
More than one in four homes used agency staff at least one day a week over the previous four weeks, when managers were asked. Half used bank or relief staff for a day a week.
Some permanent staff surveyed said they are concerned about the impact on young people of using temporary staff, however others said they mitigated against this by working with the same people sent by providers.
Personal reasons is the main reason care staff left homes, cited by two in five homes. But more are reporting performance issues as a reason, from around one in six in 2023 to just under one in four the following year.
Staff at more than 700 homes took part in the census, which is around 20% of all settings in England.
Meanwhile, Kingston University in London is launching the UK’s first specialist Level 6-degree qualification for those in the residential care sector.
The 18-month employment-based course starts in September and will use virtual and augmented reality as well as artificial intelligence teaching tools.
The university said the social pedagogy focused course has been developed because the standard Level 3 qualification for children’s residential care is “outdated, insufficient and lacking in relevant and appropriate delivery models”.
