Frequently asked questions

To work in adult social care, you need a combination of skills and strong values. Important values include kindness, compassion, empathy, honesty and reliability. Valuing the dignity and choices of others, treating people with respect, and being non-judgmental are also at the heart of adult social care, alongside having pride in your work, a positive attitude, and a genuine desire to help others.

These values will help you build trusting, supportive relationships and enable you to provide care that is safe. Key skills, which can be strengthened on the job, include good communication, the ability to follow procedures, problem-solving, being able to work independently and as part of a team and being observant of changes in someone's condition.

No specific qualifications are required to start working as a care or support worker in adult social care. The sector welcomes people from all backgrounds, whether you’re leaving school, looking for a career change, returning to work after raising children, or seeking a more meaningful role, adult social care employers value diverse and fresh perspectives. Employers may look for a basic level of literacy and numeracy to ensure individuals can carry out key aspects of their role including effectively recording information and understanding policies and procedures.

There are plenty of opportunities for the adult social care workforce to gain qualifications, both for those entering the sector and for those looking to progress in their careers. These include diplomas, apprenticeships, awards and certificates such as the Level 2 Adult Social Care Certificate.

Working patterns in adult social care are varied and can often be flexible to suit your lifestyle. Many services operate 24/7, which means there are opportunities for day shifts, evening shifts, night shifts, and weekend work. This can include:

• Full-time or part-time hours
• Shift work, including early, late, and night shifts
• Some roles offer flexible hours or job-sharing arrangements
• Bank or casual work where you can pick up shifts as they become available

Many employers are willing to discuss working patterns that suit your circumstances, such as fitting around childcare or other commitments. Some roles, particularly in domiciliary care, may involve travelling between different individuals’ homes, while residential care typically involves working in one location.

It's always worth discussing your preferred working patterns during the application process or at interview, as many employers are keen to accommodate these and will work with you to find arrangements that suit both your needs and the service requirements.

In adult social care, training is essential to ensure care workers can provide safe, high-quality care and support. All those new to care will have a robust induction tailored to their particular role, but with consistent quality. This will include statutory (required by law) and mandatory training, and normally the care certificate standards are recommended as a base, ensuring a solid foundation of the knowledge and skills needed to provide safe, compassionate, and high-quality care and support.

Mandatory training is the training your employer requires you to complete to carry out your job safely and effectively. This could include basic life support and medication administration. In addition, there is statutory training, which covers responsibilities such as moving and handling, fire safety, and infection prevention and control. There are also ongoing training opportunities designed to help you develop your skills and advance your career. This may include specialised training for supporting people with specific conditions or working with individual groups.

The Care Workforce Pathway is the first universal career structure for the whole adult social workforce. It sets out clearly what a career in adult social care means and the level of knowledge, experience, skills and behaviours required across different roles.

There's also a range of government investment to support training at a local and national level. One example of this is the Adult Social Care Learning and Development Support Scheme which is backed by up to £12 million this financial year (25/26). This allows eligible employers to claim towards costs they have incurred when putting their staff on certain courses and qualifications meaning your employer can claim funding to support your professional development.

Pay in adult social care varies depending on the type of role, your experience, and the employer. Entry-level care assistant positions typically start at £12.21 per hour in line with the National Living Wage. Some specialist roles or those requiring additional responsibilities may offer higher rates.

Employers may also offer additional benefits such as:

• Enhanced rates for weekend and night work (often time-and-a-half or double time)
• Funded training and qualification opportunities, including apprenticeships
• Career progression opportunities that come with higher pay
• Some employers offer performance-related bonuses or long-service awards
• Travel allowances for domiciliary care roles
• Employee assistance programmes and wellbeing support

Employers have a legal duty to protect their staff from injury. However, adult social care roles do require you to be physically able to carry out your duties. This might include assisting people with mobility, supporting daily activities, and using assistive equipment. Employees can use a range of tools for manual handling, such as hoists, sliding aids, electric profiling beds and other specialised equipment to ensure safe moving and handling.

Having a long-term condition or disability does not exclude you from working in adult social care. Employers are required to make reasonable adjustments under the Equality Act 2010 to enable people to carry out their role effectively. This could include providing additional equipment, adjusting working patterns, or offering alternative roles within the service.

During the recruitment process, employers will discuss the physical requirements of the role with you and ensure that, with any necessary reasonable adjustments, you can safely and effectively provide the care and support that service users need.

If you have concerns about the physical aspects of a role, we encourage you to discuss these openly during the application process so that appropriate support can be put in place.

This depends on the type of role and employer. In residential care or supported living, you'll often work with the same group of residents regularly, allowing you to build meaningful relationships. If you visit people in their own homes, you might have a regular group of individuals who you visit consistently. Some roles involve more variety, but continuity of care is valued as it benefits both the individual and the care worker.

Adult social care offers good progression opportunities. You can advance from care worker to team leader, deputy manager, or registered manager. Many successful deputy and registered managers started as care and support workers, with many employers supporting career development through training, mentoring, and qualification funding.

The Department of Health and Social Care has launched the Care Workforce Pathway, the first universal career structure for the social care workforce. The Pathway sets out clear development and progression routes for a career in care across 8 distinct roles, from your first direct care role right up to senior management roles.

Each role category has defined knowledge, skills, values, and behaviours, so you know exactly what you need to do to progress. As adult social care becomes increasingly complex and sophisticated, the Pathway helps to give proper recognition to the highly skilled, personalised care and support provided by care workers.

Employers recognise that working in adult social care can be emotionally challenging and should provide various forms of support. This typically includes:

• Regular supervision meetings with your manager where you can discuss any concerns or challenges
• Access to employee assistance programmes that may include counselling services
• Peer support from colleagues who understand the demands of the role
• Clear policies on dealing with difficult situations
• Training on managing stress and emotional wellbeing

Many care providers also have wellbeing initiatives, mental health first aiders, or partnerships with external support organisations. It's important to speak up if you're finding aspects of the work difficult – seeking support shows professionalism and helps ensure you can continue to provide good care.

During the recruitment process, ask employers about what support systems they have in place, as this can be a good indicator of how they value their staff's wellbeing.