Attracting and retaining people has long been a challenge for the care sector. While many providers have strengthened their approach to recruitment in recent years, vacancies remain high. This not only presents on ongoing cost in terms of recruitment activity, but also contributes to increased staff turnover as pressure builds on remaining employees.

To build a more sustainable workforce, providers need to find a new source of talent – particularly from younger generations. However, this goal is being undermined by a deeper issue: the hesitance of young people to pursue a career in care, combined with the lack of support provided when they enter the role.

Why Young People Don’t Choose a Career in Care

While individual reasons may vary, a key barrier preventing young people from pursuing opportunities in care lies in how the sector is perceived.

1. Care is not seen as a “glamorous” career: often associated with hard work, low pay, and limited recognition.
2. There is limited awareness of the range of roles available: many assume frontline care is the only option.
3. Progression is not clear: it is difficult to see how a long-term career could be built.

For those who do enter care roles, it is often something they fall into by chance, rather than a career they have intentionally chosen. Roles are readily available, applications are quick and accessible, and entry requirements are relatively low, making it an easy option for those seeking immediate employment.

However, this ease of entry can also create a disconnect between expectations and reality. Many young people begin their roles without a clear understanding of what care truly involves. Job descriptions often focus on “helping people”, without fully conveying the physical, emotional, and practical demands of the role. This can cause many new starters to feel overwhelmed when faced with the realities and responsibilities of personal care, in turn, contributing to their early attrition.

Why the Care Sector Struggles to Keep Young People

Critically, this challenge does not sit with young people alone. While many providers recognise the importance of attracting younger employees, they do not always support them effectively.

Research has shown that younger employees are often perceived as lacking the skills and experience needed to thrive in care roles. In many cases, this reflects the broader shift in workplace readiness caused by COVID-19. As many young people have had fewer opportunities to build confidence through work experience, their first role in care is often their first professional experience. This can lead to an assumption that younger employees will require more time and support to develop – something that can feel very difficult to provide in an already stretched service.

However, this issue is not limited to perception alone. Many young people report negative experiences when entering care roles, including:

1. Short or ineffective onboarding.
2. Limited support from colleagues and managers.
3. A lack of appreciation and recognition.
4. Poor treatment as a result of their age.

Some described being given more challenging tasks, having their work scrutinised more closely, or feeling that they need to “prove themselves” due to their age and relative inexperience. Overtime, this can erode confidence and lead individuals to question whether they are suited to the role.

Together, these issues create a negative cycle, where young people are perceived as difficult to employ, meaning they receive less support and are, therefore, more likely to leave the organisation, reinforcing the original perception.

The Risk of Inaction

If this dynamic remains unchanged, the consequences will be significant.

The care workforce is already ageing, with many experienced employees approaching retirement age. Without a steady pipeline of new talent to replace those leaving the sector, the gap between supply and demand will continue to increase.

If providers cannot attract and retain younger workers, the pressure on existing teams will rise, impacting both the workforce and the people they support. When services are stretched, workloads increase, stability reduces, and individuals may not receive the quality and consistency of care they deserve.

Rethinking Our Approach

Solving this challenge requires more than increasing recruitment activity, it necessitates a shift in how both the sector and young people engage with each other.

Changing How Care is Perceived

The first step is to change how care is viewed by younger generations.

Many providers are already doing this by:

1. Providing early exposure to care: taster days, work experience, and summer programmes can give young people a positive view of the role.
2. Building relationships with schools and colleges: engaging earlier helps shape perceptions before career decisions are made.
3. Providing realistic job previews: being more transparent about the realities and responsibilities of the role can prevent attrition due to “induction shock.”
4. Showcasing the breadth of opportunities available: highlighting different roles, settings, and progression pathways can encourage more people to pursue a career in care.

Changing How Young People are Supported

Attracting young people is only part of the solution, providers can strengthen their approach to supporting younger employees by:

1. Shifting the mindset from “under-prepared” to “willing to learn”: younger workers bring energy, compassion, and adaptability, but require structured support to succeed.
2. Strengthening onboarding and pre-boarding: helping individuals prepare before day one can build confidence and set realistic expectations.
3. Creating opportunities to learn safely: allowing younger employees to practice real-life scenarios, as well as given them opportunities for mentoring and shadowing, can ease their transition into the role.
4. Building support networks: helping young people form connections with their peers through group chats and shared inductions can reduce isolation and increase confidence.
5. Supporting self-awareness and development: using psychometric assessments to help individuals understand their strengths and weaknesses can improve confidence.

Building a Sustainable Workforce

Attracting more young people into care will be critical to addressing the sector’s long-term workforce challenges. But this will not happen without change.

The sector must continue to showcase the value, purpose, and potential of a career in care. At the same time, it must recognise and invest in the strengths that younger workers bring, creating environments where they feel supported, valued, and able to develop.

Building a sustainable workforce is not just about bringing people into the sector, it is about ensuring they can see a future within it, and feel supported enough to stay.