Shaping the future of social care: priority skills for 2030
When Skills England released its Assessment of Priority Skills to 2030, one message came through loud and clear: adult social care is at the heart of the UK’s workforce challenge.
The numbers tell the story. The sector has the highest proportion of vacancies of any industry (41%) – more than a third of which are proving hard to fill due to skills gaps (Skills England: Health & Adult Social Care Sector Needs Assessment, 2025). By 2040, up to 2.38 million additional posts could be needed, which is a 29% increase from 2023-24.
With an ageing population and growing pressure on services, the Skills England report highlights that 79% of additional demand in adult social care will require Level 2 or 3 qualifications. At the same time, the workforce needs clear progression routes, specialist options, and leadership opportunities to keep people motivated and retained.
We need more people in the social care workforce, and we need them to be skilled, supported, and ready to grow. It’s a big ask but awarding organisations like iCQ are already part of the solution, and will continue to work alongside the care sector to expand learning and skills development in support of growing service demands.
How iCQ aligns with national priorities
Below we summarise how we’re meeting the report needs – see each section below for more information.
| Report Priority | What’s Needed | iCQ Alignment |
|---|---|---|
| High demand at entry level (79% of future demand) | Level 2 and 3 qualifications | iCQ offers a range of level 2 awards for preparing people to work in the care sector, as well as level 2 and 3 diplomas aligned to core care standards and support for the Level 2 Adult Care worker apprenticeship standard. See more > |
| Specialist skills | Dementia and end-of-life care | Dedicated qualifications, as well as embedded skills across diplomas and other qualifications in these specialisms. See more > |
| Progression | Progression pathways into leadership | Level 4 and 5 diplomas for leadership and management, progression from level 2 and 3 diplomas. Levels 3 and 5 lead adult care and level 4 lead practitioner apprenticeship support. See more > |
| Core transferable skills | Building capabilities in communication, empathy, safeguarding, inclusivity | Embedded across qualifications, with dedicated specialist qualifications (e.g. SEND) and safeguarding apprenticeship support. |
| Digital skills | Digital/data literacy in care settings | Embedded core skills across qualifications – an opportunity for future specialist pathway development See more > |
Entry-level qualifications supporting pathways into social care
iCQ offers a robust range of Level 2 and Level 3 qualifications – exactly where Skills England emphasises urgency. All of our qualifications are aligned to care sector standards, such as the Care Certificate. Examples include:
- Dedicated level 2 qualifications for care planning, understanding challenging behaviour, mental health, employment responsibilities, medication, prevention of falls, nutrition and more.
- Level 2 Certificate in Preparing to Work in Adult Social Care covers key foundational topics such as safeguarding, person-centred approaches and duty of care.
- Level 2 Adult Care Certificate is designed to mirror the national Care Certificate standards and includes 15 mandatory units like communication, IPC, mental health and dementia awareness.
- Level 3 Diploma in Health & Social Care and other care diplomas feature specialist pathways such as in dementia and learning disabilities.
- Level 2 Adult Care Worker apprenticeship standard support through End-Point Assessment.
- Qualifications built for devolved nations to reflect the different standards, operating environments and population needs.
As the report calls for more accessible, career-entry routes, iCQ is already making them available for training providers and employers to use.
See all social care qualifications
Specialist and modular learning for in-demand skills
The report highlights a demand for specialist skills like dementia and end-of-life care. iCQ directly addresses this through:
- Level 3 Award in Awareness of Dementia, as well as dementia pathways and units across our qualifications.
- Level 2 Award in Awareness of End of Life Care, as well as embedded practice through our diplomas.
- SEND modules, which reinforce inclusive and specialist practice, as well as the dedicated and newly developed Level 2 Certificate for Special Education Needs and Disability (SEND).
See all social care qualifications
But it’s not just specialist knowledge we’re embedding, it’s also the core set of transferable skills care workers need. Empathy, communication, safeguarding, inclusive practice, health and safety and any number of important day-to-day skills – all wrapped into qualifications from the ground up. iCQ ensures learners are not just technically capable, but genuinely people-ready and work-ready.
Progression into leadership
At iCQ, we understand that retention depends on clear progression routes. That’s why we offer:
- Level 4 Diploma in Adult Care, emphasising taking the lead on communication, safeguarding, health and safety and more.
- Level 5 diplomas in leadership and management for adult care, designed for those stepping into senior roles.
- Level 3 and a level 5 lead adult care worker and level 4 lead practitioner apprenticeship support as an End-Point Assessment organisation.
Looking ahead: digital capability in social care
Skills England calls for stronger digital/data literacy. All of our qualifications cover safe data handling practices, particularly with the sensitive and personal information care workers regularly handle, as well as best practice guidelines for cybersecurity.
However, the report presents a clear growth opportunity for formal learning pathways, or for the redevelopment of existing qualifications to include stronger provision of skills in this area – the digital world never stops progressing after all.
iCQ are speaking to providers and partners to find out what their needs in this area are. If you have feedback on digital capability in care, or proposals for qualifications that you would like to see available, get in touch to discuss.
iCQ are committed to helping deliver the ambitions of the priority skills
We’re proud that iCQ’s existing qualifications already align with the care sector’s most pressing needs. But we’re not resting there. Our commitments include:
- Continually modernising level 2 and 3 provision.
- Growing our specialist offerings.
- Strengthening progression into leadership.
- Integrating digital skills across qualifications.
- Co-designing solutions with employers, training providers and experts in the field.
A collective effort and iCQ is here for it
The Skills England report is both a wake-up call and a roadmap. With the right qualifications, partnerships and innovation, we can build a social care workforce that is skilled, resilient and future-ready.
At iCQ, we’re already part of the solution and we’re eager to do more. Whether you’re an employer, a provider, or a learner, let’s do this together. The future of care depends on the people who deliver it, and the skills they learn that empower them.
Ready to explore?
Get in touch to discover iCQ’s health and social care qualifications and let’s rise to the 2030 challenge together.
