TSA contributes to Policy Connect’s ATech Skills for Social Care Commission

1​6 January 2026

During 2025, TSA was invited by Policy Connect to participate in a series of evidence sessions supporting the ATech Skills for Social Care Commission. The Commission brought together voices from across social care, education, technology, and policy to explore how skills, learning, and workforce development must evolve to support the growing role of technology in care.

Across the evidence sessions, discussion focused on the current skills landscape within social care, the training and development programmes already in place, and the tools and support available to the frontline workforce. TSA contributed insights from across its membership, sharing examples of good practice that demonstrate how organisations are actively building technology enabled care awareness and strengthening digital capability across their workforces.

It was particularly valuable to see TSA members Kyndi involved in the roundtable discussions, showcasing their workforce development and training programmes alongside Kent College and Medway Council. These examples brought the conversation to life, highlighting how collaboration between local authorities, care providers, educators, and technology specialists can deliver practical, scalable skills development.

Alongside positive case studies, the sessions also addressed the significant challenges still facing the sector. These included ongoing staff shortages, recruitment and retention pressures, and persistent hesitancy around the use of technology. Cyber security risks were also raised as a growing concern, reinforcing the importance of equipping the workforce not only with digital confidence but with the knowledge to use technology safely and responsibly.

Despite these challenges, the discussions were both thought-provoking and encouraging. There was a clear, shared ambition across the room to ensure the social care workforce is properly supported through accessible learning and development routes, enabling staff to continue delivering high-quality care while confidently adopting technology where it can add real value.

TSA was also delighted to attend the official launch of the Commission at the House of Commons on Thursday 11 December, marking an important milestone in taking this work forward with policymakers.

Key themes and recommendations from the Commission

The Commission’s report, which builds on earlier work exploring smarter homes and assistive technology, sets out several key themes and recommendations discussed during the evidence sessions.

A central focus is the need to expand training opportunities and secure sustainable funding to support workforce development. The report highlights gaps in current provision and calls for more strategic, joined-up adult social care workforce planning, with clear routes to develop digital and assistive technology skills.

The role of the Care Technologist emerged as a particularly important area. While Skills for Care has profiled the role and published training expectations, discussions highlighted a lack of clarity around how the role should be trained, maintained, and recognised in practice. This includes implications for pay scales, career pathways, and commissioners’ expectations. The emergence of a new Professional Association for Assistive Technologists was welcomed, but the Commission noted a disconnect between this body, Skills for Care, and existing sector infrastructure, including TSA, underlining the need for greater alignment.

Other themes included the importance of making social care careers more attractive to young people leaving education, and the potential for new models such as assistive technology labs. Kent’s exploration of technology suites in libraries, linked to police and Integrated Care Board partners, was highlighted as a promising approach that could be scaled nationally and may be of interest to suppliers and commissioners alike. The report also notes that while Technical Excellence Colleges have been designated by government, they have yet to meaningfully focus on social care, with strong calls for this to change.

Overall, the Commission identifies a risk of fragmentation if emerging initiatives are not better connected, and stresses the importance of collaboration across the sector to avoid duplication and confusion. The report sets out seven recommendations in total, four aimed at government and three directed at the sector.

TSA’s contribution and recognition within the report

TSA and TEC Quality are referenced directly within the Commission’s recommendations. Recommendation five, aligned with the Workforce Strategy for Adult Social Care in England (2024), calls on the sector to collaborate to enhance the Digitising Social Care directory of digital skills training opportunities. This includes surveying social care organisations and skills providers to identify training not currently listed, such as TSA’s Virtual Home and TEC Quality CPD courses, as well as identifying gaps and commissioning new provision where needed.

The report also includes a dedicated case study and overview of both the TSA Virtual Home and TEC Quality CPD offer within its main body, recognising their role in supporting workforce competence and confidence in technology enabled care.

“The Commission highlighted just how strong the shared commitment is across the sector to support the social care workforce with the skills and confidence they need to use technology well. Collaboration and clear pathways for learning will be essential if we are to deliver safe, high-quality, technology enabled care.”

Emma Quest - Associate, TSA

The full Commission report can be accessed here.