Once again, Skills for Care have kicked off the New Year with their annual spotlight on learning and development, the Keep Learning campaign.
Running throughout January and February, the 2026 spotlight campaign is focused on the message of ‘Keep learning to build your future,’ and explores the pivotal role of learning and development in securing a sustainable adult social care sector.
The campaign highlights the learning and development opportunities available to the sector and the benefits they bring.
Skills for Care will share information, resources and practical real-life examples of learning and development in action and answer common queries around training and qualifications in social care.
Resources available include help with:
- Supporting others with learning
- Learning specialist skills
- Learning for leaders and managers
- Learning for individual employers and personal assistants
- Learning for regulated professionals
The ‘Keep learning to build your future’ spotlight campaign will run across Skills for Care’s website, social media and other communication channels, including e-mail newsletters. You can follow along using the hashtag #KeepLearning on social media.
Keep learning to retain quality staff
The workforce development charity says the campaign is designed to support workers in adult social care to prioritise their own learning and development, upskill their team and the future workforce, and understand what is happening at a strategic level to strengthen the adult social care sector.
They point out that investing in learning and development supports care organisations with staff retention, saying that this ensures the care sector has enough people with the right skills and knowledge now, and in the future.
Regular training and development opportunities also ensure the care workforce is more skilled, confident and effective, while feeling more valued and fulfilled.
Skills for Care’s recent report into the State of the adult social care sector and workforce found that the average turnover rate among care staff who had received some form of training was just over 25%, compared to more than 35% for workers who hadn’t received any.
Turnover rates continue to improve the more training an employer provides; the report found that care staff who received more training opportunities exhibited lower turnover rates than those provided with fewer instances of training. For example, the data showed:
- Care workers with 1-5 instances of training had a 26.3% turnover rate, while;
- Care workers with more than 30 instances of training had a 22.9% turnover rate
Keep learning to build a sustainable workforce
A positive link was also identified between increased training opportunities and better Care Quality Commission (CQC) scores.
Skills for Care says that ongoing learning and development for the adult social care workforce also leads to a “better care experience” for individuals accessing care and support as well as more fulfilling careers across the sector.
Their Head of National Workforce Development, Capability and Skills, Victoria Collier, said she was “excited” to kick off 2026 with the Keep learning campaign, which highlights “how vital learning and development is in building the future of social care.”
She added:
“We know that providing access to learning and development opportunities has a significant impact on staff satisfaction and retention, and can also attract more new people to work in care.
“As we project the need for around 470,000 new posts by 2040, building a sustainable workforce with the skills and confidence to meet the current and future needs of our communities must be prioritised.”
Learning and development opportunities for health and social care
First Response Training (FRT) is a leading, national training provider. They deliver over 7,000 courses each year in the fields of health and safety, first aid, fire safety, food safety, mental health, health and social care and other special focus topics.
Their diverse portfolio includes training awards designed for health and social care organisations, such as Infection Control and Prevention, Safeguarding Adults, Duty of Care, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, Person Centred Care and Support and many others.
Their course portfolio spans Care Certificate standards, Level 2 and Level 3 Awards and training for supervisors and managers.
They also offer a portfolio of e-learning training courses, perfect for annual refresher training.
A trainer from FRT explains:
“People accessing care services need to be supported by people who have the right skills to help them lead fulfilling lives.
“The importance of training for the adult social care workforce cannot be underestimated. It is key to ensuring that this essential care and support is provided in a safe, dignified and person centred way.
“There is also evidence that providing proper training and further development opportunities can help to improve recruitment and retention issues for social care employers. These are also issues which can cost the sector dearly, and impact on the quality of care provided.”
For more information on the training that FRT can provide, please call them today on freephone 0800 310 2300 or send an e-mail to info@firstresponsetraining.com.