Almost every council in England continues to struggle to recruit and retain key frontline staff, including children’s and adults’ social workers, according to an LGA workforce survey.
Almost all respondents (94 per cent) said they were experiencing at least one recruitment and retention difficulty, with 80 per cent experiencing difficulties recruiting and retaining children’s social workers. Nearly three-quarters (77 per cent) of councils were having problems recruiting – and 61 per cent retaining – adults’ social workers.
Other roles facing significant recruitment problems included educational psychologists (73 per cent), legal professionals (68 per cent) and mental health social workers (63 per cent).
Retention was a problem for roles including mental health social workers (52 per cent), educational psychologists (46 per cent) and planning officers (45 per cent). In response, councils were providing market supplements for some posts (81 per cent) and 90 per cent had at least one ‘grow your own’ scheme.
With partners, the LGA ran a successful and award-winning national recruitment campaign for local government, which is due to run again in the current financial year (see see ‘Tackling recruitment challenges’ and www.localcounciljobs.gov.uk).
It also continues to campaign for improved pay, conditions and recognition for social care staff, following June’s Spending Review, which did not commit to fund agreements reached by the Adult Social Care Negotiating Body.
“The Government rightly champions its work on a Fair Pay Agreement for adult social care, but its success depends on its costs being fully funded; neither councils nor providers will be able to absorb the level of likely costs involved,” said the LGA.