Lack of job security risks driving away good staff

Close to half of respondents (48 per cent) said colleagues are considering a change of career, while 74 per cent of those questioned revealed staff are worried about losing their jobs.

The in-depth survey, based on the answers of 50 practitioners from youth justice, early years and youth work settings, gives a snapshot of sentiment as Britain emerges from the deepest recession since the 1930s.

Sir Paul Ennals, chair of the Children's Workforce Development Council (CWDC), said that the sector faces a tough time in the face of cuts that are expected to be made over the next three to four years.

But he added that work being carried out by the CWDC to boost qualifications in the children's workforce and help staff work in a more integrated way, has the potential to keep professionals in the sector.

"We are enabling people to get jobs in other parts of the workforce, so they may change job but retain the career of working with children and young people.

"I hope the vast majority of people working with children today will be doing so in the future but they may have changed roles within that career."

As well as job concerns, the survey identifies worries about service cuts.

Sixty-four per cent of respondents believe they will not have adequate resources next year to deliver all the services they deem necessary.