Pay rise to ease recruitment problems in Edinburgh

Social workers in Edinburgh are set to receive pay rises in a
bid to end the recruitment and retention crisis in the city,
writes Natasha Salari.

Plans to increase the wages of social workers and give
additional bonuses to social workers with extra qualifications in
mental health and child protection will go before the council next
week.

The director of social work in Edinburgh, Les McEwan, resigned
last month after an inquiry report criticised his department’s
handling of the death of 11-week old Caleb Ness.

Meanwhile, the re-structuring of Glasgow social services
department to ease a staffing crisis will cost £4.5 million a
year, the council has confirmed.

New plans will lead to more than 100 social services managers
being sent back to the frontline. They will take on case work and
manage re-structured practice teams of social workers supported by
social care workers, formerly unqualified social work
assistants.

More than 280 practice teams will be set up and managed by a
practice team leader who will be able to earn up to £33,700 a
year. Senior social workers will be assessed for their suitability
to take on the role. The new  post of social care worker will
attract a salary of up to £21,500, compared with the current
£19,000 for social work assistants.

The scheme will cost the council £2 million in extra wages
and training from the year beginning April 2004, but the bill is
expected to rise to £4.5 million in subsequent years.

The proposals have already received approval from the
council’s social care services committee, but will now go
before the full council in December.