The pandemic has shown how much we depend on social care staff to look after some of our most vulnerable people.

During the pandemic we all saw the brilliant, vital and amazing work our care workers do – in our care homes and communities.

And yet, Torfaen, like other local authorities, is facing huge pressures due to staff absences because of Covid-19, especially in domiciliary care services and care homes.

The council has recently used its website and social media channels to encourage people to consider a career in social care and introduced a new social care jobs bulletin to highlight what opportunities are available. You can sign up for it on the council’s website.

In a bid to raise wages, job esteem and to recognise the extraordinary efforts of staff in the pandemic, I am really pleased Welsh Government has announced that social care staff in Wales will receive the real living wage of £9.90 from April this year.

The implementation of the Real Living Wage, one of Welsh Labour’s key election pledges, is a first step in recognising the crucial nature of social care and how much we depend on social carers.

The Real Living Wage which is independently calculated by the Resolution Foundation and overseen by the Living Wage Commission, will apply to registered workers in care homes and domiciliary care, in both adults and children’s service and to Personal Assistants who provide care and support funded through a direct payment.

The Welsh Government will provide Welsh Local authorities and Health Boards with £43 million to implement the Real living Wage from April with workers feeling the benefit in the following months.

This is however, a very complex sector with hundreds of different employers, and it is expected the funding will take time to implement and not all eligible workers will receive the payment from April.

I am proud that Welsh Labour has recognised the importance of investing in our social care workforce – to look after those who will look after us when we most need it. Like everyone else, I’ve seen the hard work our social care workers do, day in day out to care for people with dignity and care.

The introduction of the Real Living Wage is very much an acknowledgement of the work done by our social care workers in the pandemic and towards building a resilient social care workforce of the future.

I would like to repeat my grateful thanks to the hardworking carers in Torfaen who keep some of our most vulnerable people safe. I hope residents will contact Torfaen Council to find out more about the opportunities available to those considering a career in social care. A career where they can really make a difference to people’s lives.