One could argue that the ethics of care is not a type of virtue ethics, like that put forward by Aristotle, in that virtue ethics are primarily concerned with the cultivation of individual virtues, whereas the ethics of care is concerned with interpersonal relationships.

The moral tradition of virtue ethics, whether it's the contribution of Aristotle or other thinkers, has often been criticized on the grounds of its rampant individualism and self-regard. That is to say, it is concerned almost exclusively with the individual's cultivation of their virtue. Other people and society as a whole may benefit from the cultivation of one's virtue, but only indirectly.

The ethics of care, on the other hand, is concerned with interpersonal relationships, relationships between individuals and their moral quality. The ethics of care may share with virtue ethics a recognition of the importance of the individual, but the emphasis is always on individuals within a specific social context. Unlike virtue ethics, then, the emphasis in the ethics of care is on interactions between individuals and how they can best respond to each other's needs.