It’s become a growth industry in the UK. The rise of the health and social care worker has meant that we are in desperate need of these skilled individuals in society. To see the scale of it, just take a look at the available Care Jobs Gloucester way, like those advertised on https://takefivehealthcare.co.uk/candidates/job-search/care-assistant-jobs-gloucestershire/. So why do we need to have more people in this sector?
There are three main reasons why social care is more prominent. Firstly, the creation of the Welfare State by the Labour party in 1946. Before this, there was only piecemeal cover, usually run by churches or philanthropists. The creation of the Welfare State was suddenly a defined way to help people in society that were elderly or disabled. It now fell to the provision of local government control.
Secondly, the spiralling costs of social care for the disabled meant that the Conservative Government of the late 80s early 90s would have had to raise taxes. Their partly laudable answer was care in the community. Local government centres were closed, and provision found in broader society was sought. This was usually through private, or council tendered schemes. It did mean that disabled people were not “locked away” in institutions and became more visible to the broader society.
Lastly, we are an ageing population. The first teenagers of the 1950s are now in their 80s and 90s. The Baby boomers aren’t far behind in their 70s either. So it is important that we have ways to support people in older age.
