Government to pilot new social services job roles

New types of multi-agency workers are to be piloted in six local
authorities.

Announcing the new jobs  at the Association of Directors of
Social Services’ spring seminar in Liverpool last month,
Health minister Jacqui Smith said that specialist skills should be
focused in roles that needed them, adding that these new types of
positions could receive pay rises in the future.

Positions to be created include those of family support worker
and home care worker.

The six pilot areas for 2003-4 are to be announced in the
summer. Five more projects will be announced in each of the next
two years.