The Scottish Social Services Sector: Report on 2024 Workforce Data shows the workforce makes up approximately 8.1% of all Scottish employment or roughly one in 12 jobs.
Adults’ workforce
The workforce increase is largely driven by more staff working in privately run care homes for adults, which went up by 1,880 to 38,470 from 2023. This makes up 17.9% of the total social service workforce. The private sector dominates the care homes for adults’ sub-sector employing almost three quarters (73.4%) of the workforce.
The total number of people working in care home services for adults in the private, public and voluntary sectors increased to 52,400 in 2024, while the number of services dropped by 24 to 999.
In the care at home and housing support workforce there were large decreases in both the public and voluntary sector, however this was balanced by an increase in the private sector workforce.
Overall, there was only a slight decrease (0.3%) in the care at home and housing support workforce which remains the biggest employer of social care staff with around 36% of the total workforce.
Children’s workforce
The day care of children workforce continues to grow, reaching 42,250, driven by increases in the size of nurseries and out of school care settings.
At the same time the number of childminding services continues to fall with 3,030 active childminders across 2,978 active childminding services.
The workforce in residential childcare increased across all employer types to 8,790 in 2024. Marking their highest headcount across the decade.
The report
SSSC Chief Executive, Maree Allison said:
‘Our 2024 workforce data report shows just how many people work in the sector in all types of services right across Scotland which demonstrates its important economic and social contribution.
‘With around one in every 12 jobs being in social services it’s clear that it offers jobs and career opportunities in a wide range of roles for people with the right values who want to make a difference.’
Key points from 2024’s workforce data report
- The Scottish social service workforce increased to its highest level yet (214,750) in 2024. Largely driven by an increase in staff working in privately run care homes for adults (+1,880 since 2023).
- The care homes for adults workforce is getting bigger. The workforce increased in 2024 to 52,400, while the number of services decreased by 24 to 999.
- The day care of children workforce continues to grow, reaching 42,250. Driven specifically by nurseries and out of school care settings increasing in size.
- The number of childminding services continues to fall, down to 3,030 active childminders across 2,978 active childminding services.
- The total number of direct care staff increased by 17.4% since 2015, due to growth in two of the largest sub-sectors: housing support/care at home and day care of children.
- The WTE number of staff is 163,790 and the actual number of staff is 214,750 resulting in a ratio of 0.76 which means that on average each employee works 76% of whole-time hours.
- At 41% the private sector continues to have the largest share of the sector’s workforce.
- Large decreases in public and voluntary housing support/care at home staff is counterbalanced by an increase in the private sector headcount so that housing support/care at home continues to be the largest employer of social care staff, accounting for around 36% of the total workforce.
- In 2024, 83% of the sector were employed on permanent contracts and 3% had a no guaranteed hours contract, consistent with 2015 and 2023.
- Just over half of the workforce (54%) is employed full time, though this varies from 11% to 80% by sub-sector.
Download the Scottish Social Services Sector: Report on 2024 Workforce Data here.
You can find more reports on our Workforce Data website.