Many believe the recession will encourage more people to consider social care as a career, potentially helping the sector’s recent improvement in recruitment to continue.

Resources leader for the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services, Sarah Pickup, said that at a time when other work opportunities are coming hard to come by, care would remain.

She says: ‘We can advertise the fact that we’ve got jobs on offer with NVQ training, and because of the downturn they will probably have more appeal.’

The director of adult social services at Gateshead Council said a workforce strategy to was being developed to identify clearer career paths and to introduce more stability and aspiration to the industry.

‘We’re looking at apprenticeships and a whole range of work to encourage more people into social care.’

The declining economy could also bring positive developments for children’s services.