Councils to crackdown on children’s care needs

The Local Government Association (LGA) announced new research today that shows the number of children’s social workers employed by councils needs to increase over 10,000 in the next decade.

Today, Wednesday 27^th November, the National Children and Adult Services Conference has commenced in Liverpool – an event that gathers policymakers and professionals to discuss some of the major challenges children, young people and their families are currently facing.

At the event, which is running until Friday, the LGA presented findings from their latest report which highlights that the number of children’s social workers employed by councils will need to increase by 13,000 over the next ten years, with an aim to reducing pressures on agency staff.

Within the report, experts outlined that there were 32,952 children and family social workers in post in 2023 and it is estimated the number will need to rise to 45,989 by 2034.

To help recruit more children’s social workers, the LGA are now calling on the government to work with councils on a two-pronged strategy. This includes investing in preventative and early help services so fewer children have to rely solely on help from social care and developing a workforce strategy to help attract more staff to the sector.

The workforce plan is set to be comprised of government-funded training programmes, level 7 apprenticeships and bursaries to encourage refraining from other professions.

Against this backdrop, the report is urging the government to use the Spending Review – a one-year review that will conclude by the end of autumn and set final departmental budgets form 2024/25 – to provide councils with enough funding to help roll out these plans.

Councillor Arooj Shah, chair of the LGA’s children and young people board, said: ‘It is vital we invest in early help and support so that fewer children and families see their needs escalating and requiring support from children’s social care.

‘Without this investment, there will need to be thousands of additional children and family social workers hired over the next decade.’

According to the latest figures from the Department for Education, there’s currently 83,630 looked after children and 621,900 referrals to social workers in the year up to 31^st March 2024.

‘We need to make people aware that a career as a children’s social worker can be a very positive, enriching and rewarding role that makes a profound difference to children’s lives. Sadly it is often a role that only gets attention when things go wrong,’ Cllr Shah added.

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