The “Social Care Sector – Well-being, Challenges and Skills” transnational survey report, developed within the Erasmus+ CARES project, examines the social care workforce in Hungary, Lithuania, Romania, and Italy. The report reveals both shared challenges and country-specific dynamics within the social care sector, and highlights the sector’s demographic, occupational, and emotional landscape.
To better understand the challenges and needs faced by social care workers across the four countries, the research conducted within the CARES project focused on the rising rates of burnout and secondary traumatic stress, despite generally high levels of job satisfaction. The project investigated burnout levels, workplace challenges, and the need for new competencies and skills in the four countries.
A questionnaire was developed by project partners, translated into Hungarian, Lithuanian, Romanian, and Italian, and distributed online via LimeSurvey between February and March 2025. It was completed by 636 respondents, with 635 from the partner countries: 296 from Romania, 149 from Lithuania, 143 from Hungary, and 47 from Italy.
The survey results show that the social care sector is overwhelmingly feminised across all four countries, with women comprising over 80% of the respondents. Most participants are between 36 and 55 years old and have more than seven years of professional experience.
Hungary and Lithuania were primarily represented by social workers with university-level education, while Romania and Italy showed more varied occupational profiles. Despite their professional experience, social care workers receive low salaries, especially in Hungary and Romania, where over half of them earn less than €1,000 per month (55% in Hungary and 65% in Romania), which is below the national average monthly salary. In Lithuania, 79% of respondents earn between €1,001 and €2,000 per month. In Italy, 30 out of 47 respondents reported salaries within the same income category.
Most of respondents are employed in the public sector in Hungary, Lithuania, and Romania, while Italy’s respondents work mostly in the private sector.
Social care workers across all four countries identified certain emotional and interpersonal skills – such as empathy, communication, resilience, and respect – as the most critical for providing effective care. Time management, teamwork, and conflict resolution were also highly valued, while digital and green skills were seen as less essential. Stress-related factors included administrative burdens, inadequate staffing, low recognition, and emotional exhaustion, with Hungarian social care workers reporting the highest levels of burnout. Younger workers in Lithuania and Romania, as well as social care workers over the age of 55, indicated particularly high stress levels, that implies the need for age-specific interventions.
Respondents proposed eight key priorities to improve well-being and job satisfaction of social care workers: better remuneration and benefits; increased recognition and respect; improved work conditions; flexible schedules; ongoing training and emotional support; clear and fair legislation; adequate staffing; and stronger interinstitutional cooperation. Suggestions for sustainable practices included ergonomic workspaces, better digital tools, and green infrastructure.
The CARES transnational survey report recommends several targeted interventions such as reducing administrative burdens, strengthening trauma-informed supervision and peer support networks, investing in skill development and career mobility, promoting a culture of care and recognition, ensuring flexible, family-centred work arrangements, and strengthening recruitment with a focus on under-served areas. Training programmes should integrate emotional literacy, digital fluency, and sustainability to reinforce resilience and ensure supportive work conditions.
Supporting social care workers is essential, not only for their own well-being, but also for the quality of care provided within the EU’s welfare systems. You can access the full survey report through this link.