Social Care Workforce Race Equality Standard (SC-WRES) Improvement Programme open for registrations

The Social Care Workforce Race Equality Standard (SC-WRES) Improvement Programme has officially opened its registration process for 2024, offering an important platform for addressing race inequality within the social care sector.

Statistics show that while 26%¹ of the adult social care workforce comprised individuals from Black, Asian, or minoritised ethnic backgrounds, managerial roles remain predominantly occupied by non-representative demographics. Black, Asian, and minoritised ethic staff constitute just 17% of registered manager roles and 17% of senior management roles.

The SC-WRES serves to support local authorities in addressing race inequalities by asking them to record and submit annual data based on metrics made up of nine indicators, measuring the experiences of people from minoritised ethnic backgrounds. This helps support the accountability of organisations in fostering an equitable workplace environment.

Local authorities can then use their findings to develop action plans to support organisational change. This data also forms part of a national annual report offering an anonymised overview of the sector's progress. The SC-WRES Improvement Programme is a long-term process, as new practices are embedded into everyday behaviour with change monitored year on year.

Interested local authorities are encouraged to attend an information and registration session to find out more about getting involved. We encourage all parties to register by 30 June 2024 to fully benefit from the regular community of practice support sessions throughout July and August. The deadline may be extended until 16 August if interested local authorities need more time.

There is no cost for local authorities to register for the SC-WRES Improvement Programme in 2024.

Fiona Murphy, Skills for Care's Head of Culture and Diversity, said:

For further information on the SC-WRES Improvement Programme and how to book your place on an information and registration session, visit our SC-WRES webpage.

¹The state of the adult social care sector and workforce in England, 2023

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