The WM-ADASS programme used DHSC funding to develop a regional international recruitment model, ahead of the 22 July 2025 policy change that ended overseas recruitment of new care and senior care workers.
Phase 1 (2023-24) focused on establishing infrastructure for international recruitment.
Phase 2 (2024-25) built on that foundation, seeking to refine approaches, support displaced international care-workers and embed sustainable practices.
Links to documents containing key learnings and next steps from both phases are published here in one place.
Phase 1 (2023–2024): Establishing Foundations
Phase 1 focused on:
- Creating regional infrastructure for ethical international recruitment
- Supporting care providers with HR/legal advice
- Developing initial training, pastoral support, and onboarding models
- Generating early intelligence about unethical practice and visa risks
The key learning showed the importance of:
- Strong regional partnerships
- Governance and shared data/intelligence
- A model that combines regional infrastructure with local delivery
Download the 2023-2024 Learning and Evaluation Report
Phase 2 (2024-25): Interim Report – Building the Regional Model
Phase 2 focused on:
- Providing safeguarding and ethical practice
- Supporting international care workers displaced by sponsor licence revocations
- Work to prevent and respond to exploitative employment practices.
The January 2025 interim report focused on building the regional model, while the final 2025 report evaluates its impact and shows how the learning can inform and strengthen the national Social Care Workforce Strategy.
Key learnings show the importance of:
- Establishing a solid infrastructure – community partnerships, processes, governance
- Collaboration across sectors and levels adds value
- Strong onboarding, pastoral support and clear training pathways – learning which can be applied to the wider domestic care workforce.
Download the Phase 2 Interim Learning & Evaluation Report – building the regional model (January 2025)
Download the Phase 2 Final Learning & Evaluation Report – supporting social care workforce recommendations (November 2025)
Why this matters
The adult social care sector faces significant workforce pressures. International recruitment provided one valuable pathway – but only when done with integrity, sustainability and worker-protection at the core. Our phased learning approach ensures that the model we build is evidence-based, region-relevant and future-ready.
From 22 July 2025, UK care providers can no longer recruit new care workers or senior care workers from overseas, meaning future workforce growth must focus on retaining and supporting the international care workers already here. The learning from this programme demonstrates the power, creativity and impact that adult social care collaboration can achieve for workforce challenges. The programme provides a blueprint for strengthening the whole adult social care workforce through regional and local initiatives for recruitment and retention, such as onboarding, peer networks, safeguarding, training, digital innovation, and tailored advice and support for all care workers and care providers.