Upcoming Apprenticeship Reforms: What This Means for Social Care

The Government has announced upcoming reforms to apprenticeships in England, expected to roll out during 2025–2026, which will bring positive changes for the social care sector.

The reforms aim to make apprenticeships more flexible, accessible, and better suited to frontline care roles, helping providers recruit, train, and retain staff more effectively.

What’s Changing?

Key changes expected to benefit social care providers include:

• Greater flexibility in how apprenticeships are delivered, reflecting shift patterns and real-world care settings

• Shorter minimum apprenticeship durations, supporting faster development of competent care staff

• More flexible English and maths requirements for adult learners, helping apprentices progress without unnecessary barriers

• Increased focus on entry-level and early-career pathways, strengthening routes into care roles

These changes are particularly important for small and medium-sized care providers, including domiciliary care, supported living, and residential services.

Why This Matters for Social Care

Apprenticeships play a vital role in developing a skilled, compassionate, and values-led social care workforce. The upcoming reforms will help providers:

• Grow their own workforce

• Improve staff retention and progression

• Support people into meaningful, long-term careers in care

Quality, safeguarding, and person-centred care remain central to the apprenticeship system, ensuring high standards continue to be maintained.

Looking Ahead

As the reforms are introduced, social care providers are encouraged to review their workforce plans and explore how apprenticeships can support both immediate staffing needs and long-term service sustainability.

Apprenticeships remain a key investment in the future of social care.