King's College London

Experts at King’s College London and the University of Leeds are co-leading a five-year research partnership to tackle critical workforce challenges in adult social care, funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).

Co-led by Professor Ann-Marie Towers, Deputy Director of the Health and Social Care Workforce Research Unit (HSCWRU), based at the Policy Institute at King’s, and Professor Karen Spilsbury from the School of Healthcare at the University of Leeds, the Care Work initiative will bring together leading researchers, social care organisations, and local authorities to improve workforce sustainability and well-being.

The social care sector is facing a workforce crisis, with employers struggling to hire and keep staff. This has significant consequences not only for the workforce but also for the people supported by social care services. The partnership will focus on four key areas to drive meaningful change:

• labour supply, demand and markets;
• well-being of social care staff;
• innovation in work conditions, roles and the way work is organised;
• the use of data and technology to improve workforce practices.

The first phase of the partnership (March 2025 - September 2026) will focus on three key activities:

• Co-designing research projects with Community Involvement and Engagement (CIE) groups, care sector partners, and national consultation groups;
• Reviewing existing evidence and research to identify gaps and create an accessible resource for the sector;
• Launching the first study, investigating how to attract and retain younger people in social care – a priority issue.

“It is a privilege to be co-leading this research from a centre of excellence in workforce research at King’s. Our success is a testament to the multidisciplinary and real-world expertise of our partnership. The team has expertise in health and care, human resources, labour economics, work and well-being, and employment. By conducting research with and for the sector, we have the potential to bring about a step-change in social care workforce research.” – Professor Ann-Marie Towers

“This partnership provides an exciting opportunity to work with other leading social care researchers and sector partners, building on our track record of delivering internationally excellent social care workforce research at Leeds. The people involved in our partnership will ensure we carry out research that addresses questions about some of the most enduring social care workforce challenges and offer sustainable solutions.” – Professor Karen Spilsbury

National impact

The partnership brings together

• National social care sector organisations: Skills for Care; The National Care Forum; The Homecare Association.
• Local authorities and NHS partners: Kent County Council; London Borough of Bexley; Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council; Leeds City Council; Leeds Health and Care Academy.
• Leading social care researchers from five universities in England: King’s College London; University of Leeds; University of Kent; Leeds Beckett University; Manchester Metropolitan University.

“Skills for Care is proud to be a partner in this important research project. The combined academic and sector-facing expertise behind it will ensure that the outputs will be grounded in both academic rigour and the real-world experience of those managing and delivering adult social care.” – Oonagh Smyth, Skills for Care

“We are thrilled to be involved in this essential programme of work. This partnership provides an exciting opportunity for the National Care Forum to work with leading social care researchers and partners, to really grapple with the critical workforce challenges facing our sector, and to develop sustainable solutions.” – Liz Jones, National Care Forum

“The Homecare Association warmly welcomes this important £5m investment into social care workforce research. The 'Care Work' partnership, co-led by King's College London and the University of Leeds, addresses critical challenges our sector faces daily. Our Workforce Survey shows why this research is so timely – with recruitment difficulties, pay concerns, and sustainable employment practices remaining significant barriers to delivering quality care.” – Jane Townson, Homecare Association

For updates on our research, visit Care Work. If you have any questions or would like to be involved, please contact carework@kcl.ac.uk.

Care Work is one of five innovative new Workforce Research Partnerships designed to tackle major challenges facing NHS and social care staff: NIHR news item (8 April 2025).