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The number of social services staff in England has fallen by 7 per cent in the past five years, but the number of directors and senior staff has risen by nearly 50 per cent over the same period, according to new figures from the Department of Health.

Local government reorganisation and the greater use of the independent sector are cited as possible reasons for the trend by the DoH.

There were 217,200 social services staff in September 2000 (measured in whole-time equivalent numbers) compared with 233,900 in 1995. Field work and area office workers have fallen in line with staffing as a whole, while day care staff numbers have remained more or less constant. In contrast, central and strategic staff have seen an overall increase of 4,100 staff between 1995 and 2000.

The most significant increase is that of senior directing staff - by half, from 400 to 600, in the past five years. Similarly, senior professional support has grown from 3,000 to 4,300 workers.

The figures also confirm general trends in social work. Numbers of social workers have grown by 9 per cent in the past five years. About 40 per cent work with children, 23 per cent with adults or older people and 29 per cent are employed in health settings or specialist teams.

Within local authority residential provision, staff numbers have decreased by 18 per cent since 1995, with most of this occurring within provision for the elderly mentally infirm. However, specialist needs establishments have seen an increase of about one-fifth in the same period.

The Association of Directors of Social Services said the figures reflected an increasing externalisation of services, the development of performance management work and general recruitment and retention problems. "There continues to be an increase in the number of services we purchase from external organisations," said Bill McKitterick, ADSS human resources committee chairperson. "We have to ensure we have senior staff to commission and manage those external services."

The DoH findings contrast with figures from the Office for National Statistics, also published last week, showing an increase in the overall public sector workforce between June 2000 and June 2001. The public sector grew by 93,000 jobs, while the private sector increased by only 71,000, according to the ONS. However, the main growth was in the education sector and the NHS, reflecting the government's recruitment drive for nurses and teachers.

- DoH Bulletin 2001/16 Personal Social Services Staff of Social Services Departments at 30 September 2000, England; available from www.doh.gov.uk/public/sb0116.htm

- Office for National Statistics, Economic Trends (No 571, June 2001); available from www.statistics.gov.uk/themes/economy/Articles/General/extracts/june01.asp