Social workers threaten to leave profession over plans to curtail use of agencies
Fiona Simpson
Thursday, May 18, 2023
Social workers employed by agencies say they will leave the profession if the government implements proposals to reduce the use of freelance staff.
In its response to the Independent Review of Children’s Social Care, the Department for Education put forward plans for measures to curtail the role of agencies in the sector.
Proposals include a cap on agency workers’ pay rates, the introduction of national agency pay scales and a requirement of a minimum of five years’ post qualifying experience before working as a freelance.
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It comes following an investigation by CYP Now which revealed a 10-fold rise in agency social work teams being used by local authorities between 2017 and 2022.
However, a survey of agency social workers by the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC), finds that most predict the impact of the plans will see colleagues quit and children receive worse care.
Four in 10 said they would leave the profession if stricter rules were implemented around agency work which they say attracts social workers “because of the flexibility, better rates of pay and more frequent payment”.
The survey also finds that 40 per cent of 147 agency social workers asked said they are unable to take on a permanent, full-time position even if they had to.
It also reveals concerns around regional balance and capped rates, with 73 per cent of people asked saying they would avoid seeking roles in hard-to-reach areas.
Half of the agency workers who responded to the survey and said that these reforms would make them leave the profession, are over 46 years old, the REC said.
It added: “This is a blow to a government that is keen to retain over-50s in the workforce to help overcome labour shortages and grow the economy.”
The confederation is urging the government to “rethink” its proposals around agency social workers.
Kate Shoesmith, deputy chief executive of the REC, said: “Social workers turn to agencies primarily to help them manage their work/life balance.
“We need to recognise the reasons why social workers make this choice and then we, the recruitment sector, will happily work with government and others on better solutions than the ones in this consultation. As experts in workforce planning, recruitment and retention strategies, it’s what our members do for several other clients across both the public and private sectors every day.
“The loss of agency staff in anything like the proportion indicated by this survey will give vulnerable children even less chance of getting the care they need.”
A DfE consultation on plans to curtail the role of social work agencies closed on 11 May.