Digital skills of Northern Ireland social care workforce

Key Statistics: 

• 13% of social care staff stated that they are unable to solve a problem with a device or digital service using online help if they were asked to do this 

• 9% of staff stated they could not check if information they found online is accurate 

• 7.1% of staff stated they would not be able to buy and install apps on a device if they were asked to 

• The average confidence score to use technology, which includes desktop computers, laptops, smartphones, and tablets across different job groups show that: Social care workers have a confidence score of 3.84 out of 4; Social workers have a confidence score of 3.35 out of 4; Social work students have a confidence score of 3.70 out of 4. The overall score for all groups is 3.70 out of 4. 

• A total of 14% of respondents aged over 65 shared that they were not confident at all in the use of some technologies at work 

Key Messages 

• Digital skills are reported to decline with age, and confidence in using technology is closely linked to self-reported skill levels 

• E-learning is widely valued by social care staff for its flexibility, time efficiency, and peer support, though most use it at home rather than at work due to time constraints and limited managerial support. 

• Face-to-face learning is still preferred, but many staff are already engaging in informal digital learning through websites and mobile apps, indicating a shift toward blended approaches. 

• A small group (9.9%) are resistant to e-learning, often due to minimal digital skills, and lack of confidence. Staff are in need of more tailored support to improve their digital skills. 

Commentary 

Particular focus should be given to members of the workforce within all job roles who indicated that they were only slightly confident or not confident at all in the use of technology. The authors tell us that although the majority of responses are positive, it is clear that there is a proportion of the workforce who would benefit from increased training in the use of technology. This is critical to ensure that every member of the workforce is able to benefit from the potential of digital learning and development and that a digital divide is not created. These findings suggest that offering training to increase digital skills and technology confidence, in addition to raising awareness of the benefits of the use of technology for learning and development, may increase the overall engagement with digital learning and development solutions.