Employment in social care in Europe

In the context of an ageing population and increasing demand for care services in the European Union, there is growing concern about the supply of suitably qualified care workers. Low pay, low status, and high rates of turnover and burnout make it difficult to attract workers to the care sector and to keep them in their jobs. This report looks at a range of innovative approaches, in 11 EU Member States and two acceding countries, aimed at increasing the supply of qualified workers who can meet the growing demand for care services. It highlights a number of policy strategies that should be developed to address this issue, such as improving the public image of care work, raising the qualification profile of care workers, increasing salary levels, attracting more qualified migrants to the profession, achieving a better age and gender balance, and improving overall working conditions for care workers. By documenting good practice, it offers a range of practical responses to one of Europe’s most pressing dilemmas.