Vacancies for social care staff in Scotland have soared by 43% in the past year, according to a survey by Totaljobs.

The job finder service also found existing social carers are increasingly looking to leave the sector, with over a third (37%) predicted to exit the industry in the next five years. 

Some may leave even sooner Totaljobs found, with one in five social carers already looking for roles outside the sector.

The growing need for social care staff is exacerbated by the UK’s ageing population – yet 67% of people asked in the survey said they wouldn’t consider working in the sector.

Estimates show that in 10 years’ time one in five people in the UK will be over the age of 65 and the UK will need a further 650,000 workers to care for them by 2035.

This means the sector could face a staffing deficit of over 1.2 million workers by the middle of the next decade.

Totaljobs discovered that more than half (53%) of respondents aged between 16-25 years’ old claim no one has ever spoken to them about social care as a career option, highlighting the importance of promoting the career opportunities available within social care.

However, while many carers are planning on leaving the sector, 9,306 applications were made to social care roles on Totaljobs.com in Scotland in September 2019, a 74% increase from September 2018.

Lynn Cahillane, head of marketing at Totaljobs, commented: “Our research highlights that more needs to be done to future-proof a sector in demand to ensure people receive the care they need. While the UK’s political parties have all pledged further support of the industry, it’s key that care employers must also ensure they introduce the right strategies to attract, recruit and retain the right carers at this crucial time.”

She added: “Despite these figures coming out just before Christmas, there are some green shoots with us seeing 42,000 social care applications in Scotland in the first half of 2019. The key now is for care providers to ensure they’re promoting the range of opportunities available and putting in place effective on-boarding processes to help reduce turnover.”