CYP Now - Prioritise retention of children’s social workers

Latest Department for Education workforce figures show the number of vacant social worker posts across children’s services departments in England rose by seven per cent in 2021 to a five-year high – accounting for one in six positions.

Derren Hayes: “Retention should be a central part of a new national workforce strategy, which is urgently needed and should be a recommendation of the Care Review.”

Amid a shortage of permanent staff most local authorities will turn to the agency market. Yet, while the number of agency staff grew by three per cent last year, it is still half the rate of growth in vacant posts. The workforce squeeze is so severe that some directors of children’s services are reporting the only way to access agency staff is to employ entire teams at great expense.

To compound this worrying picture, the number of children’s social workers leaving their post rose 16 per cent last year. Meanwhile, a survey by the British Association of Social Workers found just a quarter of practitioners plan to stay in post for the next three years.

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