Managing adversity: a cross-sectional exploration of resilience in social care

The social care workforce in the United Kingdom plays a vital role in providing support services yet faces systemic challenges of lower priority and lack of resources. Resilience is crucial for these workers who have been navigating challenges within a fragmented system long before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Understanding resilience factors is essential to the future proofing of this vital workforce.

A quantitative, descriptive study was conducted using a cross-sectional online survey to assess resilience and associated factors of social care workers in Northern Ireland. The survey included the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC) and the Work-related Sense of Coherence Scale (Work-SoC), along with demographic and work-related questions. Data was collected from 613 participants through an online survey between May and June 2023.

Of the 613 valid responses analysed, the mean CD-RISC score was 70.4 (SD 13.3). Gender, education level, years of experience, age and Work-SoC showed varying impacts on resilience scores. For instance, females had higher resilience scores compared to males, and those with a bachelor's degree and higher reported slightly increased resilience scores. Additionally, age categories influenced resilience scores, with older age groups exhibiting higher resilience levels. Findings revealed a moderate positive association between resilience and how people perceive their work in terms of its comprehensibility, manageability, and meaningfulness.

The study highlights the importance of resilience among social care workers in Northern Ireland and emphasises the need to explore factors such as Work-related Sense of Coherence to enhance well-being and job performance. An all systems approach to building and sustaining resilience is proposed, recognising individual assets, fostering supportive work environments, and reshaping societal perception of social care.