The UK Co-op Congress, held in Birmingham, included a breakout session on social care, looking, at a recent study from Co-operatives UK and Cwmpas, with the results presented by researcher Serena Vicario (pictured), from the University of Kent.
The study set out find out how co-ops in meet challenges such recruitment and retention in the care sector, and the need to look after an ageing population. It examined the barriers to setting up a co-op, and ways to facilitate growth in the sector.
Looking at seven co-ops, the survey found high job satisfaction, good retention rates and success in attracting young workers.
Recommendations in the report include designing local authority commissioning criteria that recognise co-ops, a national platform for care co-ops, regional support hubs offering shared back office functions, access to mission-aligned, long-term capital, and stripping out for-profits from the sector.
Co-ops taking part in the study include Wales’ Cartrefi Cymru Co-op, which converted to the model in 2016, having launched in 1989. Its communications manager Will Rees said it works with over two thirds of Welsh councils, has more than colleagues and supports over 600 people – including people with learning disabilities or autism, and some older people.
Related: Report highlights potential of co-op model in social care
More than 80% of staff are frontline, and managers also have hands-on element, he added; this offers are career path which helps with retention, and pay is a touch above the nation living wage, beating the private sector.
“How we touch the lives of people who work for us is very light,” he said. “They only come into office for training.”
This means the co-op’s five state values – respect, kindness, wellbeing, honesty and trust – are important to ensure good working practices, said Rees.
Cartefi has seven activities coordinators working in communities, with hubs including the Social Bean Cafe Swansea. Meanwhile there are regional forums which meet to make decisions, operating under a central board board and member council.
From the delegates on the floor, came suggestions for secondary co-ops to support the sector, and the formation of federations of small locally focused co-ops.
The sector should also focus on gaps in the market, especially where councils have a statutory duty to offer services, such as support for care leavers. There is no co-op active in this area. This is a missed opportunity, said Co-operatives UK chair Cheryl Barrett. “There are three types of law, can do, can’t do, and must do. The budget goes on must do,” she said.
