There is a staffing crisis in social care with the number of children and family social workers leaving their jobs at a five-year high, according to the Local Government Association (LGA).
Government figures show that nearly 5,000 children and family social workers quit their roles in 2021, an increase of 16% on the previous year and a five-year high. Vacancies are also at a five-year high – with 6,522 positions available as of 30 September 2021 – up 7% on the previous year.
The LGA said the departure of such a large number of social workers was “potentially putting thousands of young people at risk”. It estimated that mounting pressures on children’s social care meant that future costs were set to increase by £600m each year until 2024/25, with more than eight in 10 councils overspending their budgets.
Cllr Anntoinette Bramble, chair of the LGA’s Children and Young People Board, said that the staffing crisis in children’s social care had been exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic and called on the government to work with the LGA on a plan to address “these urgent workforce pressures”.
She added: “It is vital that children’s services are properly funded to ensure that social workers receive the right support and reward for the challenging work they do, and the services that children and families need are in place to provide additional support.”
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