Local authorities and social care
Local authorities carry a distinct set of workforce responsibilities - commissioning, direct provision, public health leadership and increasingly integrated commissioning with the NHS. We work with council social care commissioners, care providers and public health functions on the workforce questions that sit inside and around them.
What we have delivered in this sector
A representative view of recent and characteristic engagements across local authority and social care workforce work.
- Adult social care workforce strategy for a local authority, aligned to national workforce and integration priorities.
- Integrated commissioning workforce design across NHS and local authority boundaries.
- Regional lead role on the Autism Act and Valuing People Now implementation across three ICSs and multiple councils.
- Public health team development and workforce planning at council level.
- Employment support programme design in partnership with DWP.
- Regional commissioning strategy delivery across two east of England footprints.
Thinking for local authority and social care leaders
Webinar: Workforce models for integrated neighbourhood teams
Working session on INT workforce - covering NHS and local authority employment models and funding flows.
Register on the AcademyWebinar: Merging teams without losing the work
OD-focused session on protecting the work when NHS and council teams integrate.
Register on the AcademyWebinar: Labour market outlook 2027
Annual outlook - highly relevant for social care workforce planning and competition with other sectors.
Register on the AcademyWhere to look next
A curated set of external sources for adult social care, public health and local authority workforce policy.
ADASS (Association of Directors of Adult Social Services)
National voice for directors of adult social services
Visit siteLocal Government Association
Membership body for local authorities in England and Wales
Visit siteSkills for Care
Strategic workforce body for adult social care
Visit siteCare Provider Alliance
Umbrella body for adult social care provider associations
Visit siteAssociation of Directors of Public Health
Professional membership body for public health leadership
Visit siteCQC - adult social care
Regulatory guidance for adult social care
Visit siteCare and Support Alliance
Coalition of over 60 organisations working on adult social care
Visit siteAssociation of Directors of Children's Services (ADCS)
Where adult and children's social care intersect
Visit siteSCIE (Social Care Institute for Excellence)
Evidence and practice guidance for adult social care
Visit siteNuffield Trust on social care
Independent research on adult social care
Visit siteJoin the Local Authorities and Social Care community on our Academy
A collaborative space for social care commissioners, providers and public health teams - discussion, learning, peer Q&A, and shared thinking on integrated commissioning, adult social care workforce, and public health workforce. Hosted in the Health Dynamics Academy, free to join.
Working on a workforce question in social care or public health?
We are happy to spend an hour helping you frame the question, even if no engagement follows.