Who Cares about Skills? The Impact and Limits of Statutory Regulation on Qualifications and Skills in Social Care

TY - JOUR

T1 - Who Cares about Skills? The Impact and Limits of Statutory Regulation on Qualifications and Skills in Social Care

AU - Gospel, Howard

AU - Lewis, Paul

PY - 2011/12

Y1 - 2011/12

N2 - This article examines the impact of statutory regulation on qualifications and skills in the social care sector in the UK. It draws on various sources and a set of case studies, first carried out in 2003 and replicated in 2008. The analysis shows that the advent of the statutory regime has had a positive effect on the volume of training and qualifications in the sector. However, few organizations have combined training with a broader set of human resource management practices of the kind required for the establishment of a high-performance work system. This constitutes one of the continuing limits to further skill development. Changes in the regulatory regime risk losing benefits that have been gained.

AB - This article examines the impact of statutory regulation on qualifications and skills in the social care sector in the UK. It draws on various sources and a set of case studies, first carried out in 2003 and replicated in 2008. The analysis shows that the advent of the statutory regime has had a positive effect on the volume of training and qualifications in the sector. However, few organizations have combined training with a broader set of human resource management practices of the kind required for the establishment of a high-performance work system. This constitutes one of the continuing limits to further skill development. Changes in the regulatory regime risk losing benefits that have been gained.

U2 - 10.1111/j.1467-8543.2010.00828.x

DO - 10.1111/j.1467-8543.2010.00828.x

M3 - Article

SN - 0007-1080

VL - 49

SP - 601

EP - 622

JO - British Journal of Industrial Relations

JF - British Journal of Industrial Relations

IS - 4

ER -