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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Social worker shortage 'a crisis' | Social worker shortage 'a crisis' |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| One in seven social worker posts across England is unfilled as a "real crisis" grips the profession, the Tories say. | One in seven social worker posts across England is unfilled as a "real crisis" grips the profession, the Tories say. |
| They say figures suggest at least a third of posts are unfilled at seven councils including Haringey, which was criticised over the death of Baby P. | |
| Tory spokesman Tim Loughton called for a new post of "chief social worker" and a huge recruitment and PR campaign. | Tory spokesman Tim Loughton called for a new post of "chief social worker" and a huge recruitment and PR campaign. |
| The government said its new taskforce would look at barriers faced by social workers and recommend long-term reform. | The government said its new taskforce would look at barriers faced by social workers and recommend long-term reform. |
| The Conservatives are using their "opposition day" debate in the Commons to discuss the "unacceptably high" levels of child abuse and deaths at the hands of carers and parents. | The Conservatives are using their "opposition day" debate in the Commons to discuss the "unacceptably high" levels of child abuse and deaths at the hands of carers and parents. |
| 'Easily panned' | 'Easily panned' |
| Mr Loughton told BBC Radio 4's Today programme there could be more cases like that of Baby P - who died aged 17 months after sustained abuse - if the shortage was not addressed. | Mr Loughton told BBC Radio 4's Today programme there could be more cases like that of Baby P - who died aged 17 months after sustained abuse - if the shortage was not addressed. |
| He said a new post of chief social worker should be created to speak up for the profession, high-performing social workers should be encouraged to take on the most challenging areas and bureaucracy should be reduced. | He said a new post of chief social worker should be created to speak up for the profession, high-performing social workers should be encouraged to take on the most challenging areas and bureaucracy should be reduced. |
| We need to improve the image and status and standing of social workers. They should be seen in just the same way as we view doctors, teachers, nurses or police. Tim LoughtonConservatives | We need to improve the image and status and standing of social workers. They should be seen in just the same way as we view doctors, teachers, nurses or police. Tim LoughtonConservatives |
| The problem had been getting worse but it took tragedies like the Baby P case to flag up the fact there was a "real crisis" in the profession, he said. | The problem had been getting worse but it took tragedies like the Baby P case to flag up the fact there was a "real crisis" in the profession, he said. |
| "I am afraid social workers are very easily panned in the media but really if we are to be serious about child protection, then social workers need to be seen as part of the solution," he told the BBC. | "I am afraid social workers are very easily panned in the media but really if we are to be serious about child protection, then social workers need to be seen as part of the solution," he told the BBC. |
| "The vast majority of social workers actually do a good job and the vast majority of children in the care of local authorities don't end up like Baby P. | "The vast majority of social workers actually do a good job and the vast majority of children in the care of local authorities don't end up like Baby P. |
| "We need to improve the image and status and standing of social workers. They should be seen in just the same way as we view doctors, teachers, nurses or police. We need a massive recruitment and PR campaign." | "We need to improve the image and status and standing of social workers. They should be seen in just the same way as we view doctors, teachers, nurses or police. We need a massive recruitment and PR campaign." |
| Danish approach | Danish approach |
| The Conservatives' figures, obtained under the Freedom of Information Act, suggest that across England the national vacancy rate is 14.6%, up from 11% since 2005. | The Conservatives' figures, obtained under the Freedom of Information Act, suggest that across England the national vacancy rate is 14.6%, up from 11% since 2005. |
| Unison, which represents 40,000 social workers, said it had already warned that the shortage represented a "ticking time bomb" and called on councils to take urgent action. | Unison, which represents 40,000 social workers, said it had already warned that the shortage represented a "ticking time bomb" and called on councils to take urgent action. |
| It is a tough job to do and for councils it is the toughest job to fill Margaret EatonLocal Government Association | |
| General secretary Dave Prentis said: "It's a bit rich for the Tories to start whingeing about the crisis in recruiting and retaining social workers when they run most councils. | General secretary Dave Prentis said: "It's a bit rich for the Tories to start whingeing about the crisis in recruiting and retaining social workers when they run most councils. |
| "The answer to the problem lies in their hands. They could start by sorting out local government pay - still outstanding from April last year - and pulling local government staff off the bottom of the public sector pay league." | "The answer to the problem lies in their hands. They could start by sorting out local government pay - still outstanding from April last year - and pulling local government staff off the bottom of the public sector pay league." |
| Margaret Eaton, chairman of the Local Government Association, said councils had difficulties getting high calibre social workers for children. | Margaret Eaton, chairman of the Local Government Association, said councils had difficulties getting high calibre social workers for children. |
| "Councils bear an onerous responsibility in working with the most vulnerable children and families, and we ask individual members of staff, children's social workers especially, to undertake an equally onerous task on our behalf," she said. | "Councils bear an onerous responsibility in working with the most vulnerable children and families, and we ask individual members of staff, children's social workers especially, to undertake an equally onerous task on our behalf," she said. |
| "It is a tough job to do and for councils it is the toughest job to fill." | "It is a tough job to do and for councils it is the toughest job to fill." |
| Children's Secretary Ed Balls announced a "nuts and bolts" review of social service departments across England in December - including a new task force to improve the quality and status of social workers. | Children's Secretary Ed Balls announced a "nuts and bolts" review of social service departments across England in December - including a new task force to improve the quality and status of social workers. |
| A spokeswoman for his department said the task force had been asked "to identify any barriers social workers face in doing their jobs effectively and to make recommendations for improvements and long-term reform in social work". | A spokeswoman for his department said the task force had been asked "to identify any barriers social workers face in doing their jobs effectively and to make recommendations for improvements and long-term reform in social work". |
| She added: "Our ambition is for social work to be a high quality, self-confident profession, with the confidence, support and esteem of the public." | She added: "Our ambition is for social work to be a high quality, self-confident profession, with the confidence, support and esteem of the public." |