Developing and supporting the social care workforce in Wales
The ADSS Cymru Workforce Programme helps shape, influence and respond to national workforce priorities across social care in Wales.
Working with local authorities, Welsh Government, Social Care Wales and national partners, the programme supports workforce development, leadership, workforce planning and strategic improvement across the sector. It provides a route for social services leaders to influence national policy, respond to emerging workforce challenges and share learning across Wales.
Our Workforce Programme brings together a range of strategic priorities, national projects and partnership activity that support a sustainable, skilled and inclusive social care workforce for the future.
Our current priorities
Anti-Racist Wales Action Plan (ArWAP) Implementation Programme
ADSS Cymru is leading a national programme to support social services in Wales to implement the recommendations of the Anti-Racist Wales Action Plan.
Working collaboratively with local authorities, Cultural Ambassadors and partners, the programme supports organisations to create workplaces where everyone feels valued, respected and able to thrive. Recent work has included the development of a national self-assessment framework, providing the first national baseline of anti-racist workforce practice across all 22 Welsh local authority social services.
The programme focuses on:
Leadership and accountability
Learning and development
Organisational culture
Governance and reporting
Inclusive workplace practices
Find out more about our Anti-Racist Wales Action Plan work.
National Social Care Academy
ADSS Cymru is working with the National Office for Care and Support and Social Care Wales to support the development of the National Social Care Academy.
The ambition is to create a nationally recognised, locally delivered model that supports people to enter, develop and progress within social care careers across Wales. The Academy will help strengthen career pathways, improve workforce development opportunities and support a more coordinated approach to workforce planning and development across the sector.
Supporting national workforce priorities
Alongside major programmes, ADSS Cymru provides leadership and representation on a range of workforce issues affecting social care in Wales.
This includes contributing to national discussions, supporting local authorities, sharing learning and ensuring that the voice of social services is represented in workforce policy and programme development. Current areas of focus include workforce planning, recruitment and retention, leadership development, learning and development, pay and progression, digital transformation and future workforce reform.
Working in partnership
The Workforce Programme works closely with:
Welsh Government
Social Care Wales
Local authorities across Wales
National Office for Care and Support
Workforce, HR and organisational development leaders
Regional and national workforce networks
By bringing partners together, we help ensure workforce activity is aligned, practical and informed by the realities of delivering social care services across Wales.
The Workforce journey
The ADSS Cymru Workforce Leadership Group was established in February 2021 to support the implementation of the National Health and Social Care Workforce Strategy and to raise the profile of workforce issues across social care in Wales. The group played an important role in strengthening workforce leadership, influencing national priorities and embedding workforce considerations into core ADSS Cymru business.
Following a review in Spring 2026, ADSS Cymru agreed that the Workforce Leadership Group had successfully achieved its original purpose. Workforce priorities are now embedded within ADSS Cymru's wider leadership and governance arrangements, ensuring workforce issues remain central to strategic decision-making across the organisation.
Today, the Workforce Programme continues this legacy through a broader programme of strategic activity, national projects and partnership working designed to support and strengthen the social care workforce across Wales.
Workforce news and updates
Keep up to date with the latest workforce news, programme updates and project developments from across Wales.
For Workforce news please click here - https://www.adss.cymru/en/category/workforce-items