The training gap: a hidden injustice in dementia care and how to fix it

‘The training gap: a hidden injustice in dementia care and how to fix it’ builds on the 2024 report ‘Because we’re human too: why dementia training for care workers matters and how to deliver it.’  

This collection of reports focuses on dementia training for social care staff across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland.

Background

This series of reports, commissioned by Alzheimer’s Society and produced by Leeds Beckett University’s Centre for Dementia Research and IFF, focus on dementia training for direct social care staff in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

They set out what dementia training is currently offered, the quality of that training measured against each nation’s national dementia training standards framework and the five key components shared within ‘Because we’re human too’. 

The five key components for delivery of impactful training are:  

• Evidence informed training design
• Effective delivery method
• Inclusive digital learning
• Support and accessibility
• Strong leadership

The reports also explore the experiences of direct care staff accessing dementia training and whether that training impacts their knowledge, confidence and attitudes towards dementia.

Key findings

Despite some progress, this new research suggests that the training staff currently receive is unlikely to be sufficient to equip the care workforce to deliver high-quality dementia care. It is often limited in depth and quality, with around 50% of audited training packages offering only one to two hours of dementia specific content.  

This impacts staff knowledge and confidence. For example, in England, a third of staff do not have consistent levels of basic dementia knowledge and only 52% feel very competent in the care they provide.

As a result of this new evidence, Alzheimer’s Society are calling for a new legal requirement to:

• Ensure direct care staff working in older adults' care, and direct care staff working with people living with dementia in other settings, undertake best practice dementia training.
• Providers and regulators in each nation ensure that relevant care staff receive best practice dementia training that allows them to meet the specific needs of people with young onset dementia.

This should include both homecare and care home staff.

Read our reports

Read the results of our audit of dementia training for direct social care staff in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The results are long-read reports for each nation, as well as specific costed recommendations within the policy briefings.