News

The number of social work staff employed in Scotland’s local authorities has increased in the last year reversing a five-year trend, according to the latest statistical report from the Scottish executive.

The report, 'Staff of Scottish Local Authority Social Work Services 2000', shows that whole time equivalent (WTE) social work posts in 1999 amounted to 33,828 increasing to 34,161 in October 2000. This reverses the trend since 1996 when WTE social work posts totalled 38,330.

The increase would be even higher but for major shifts in the management of home care staff away from social work departments in Glasgow Council and Dumfries and Galloway Council. Glasgow, the largest council, shows a reduction from 7,206 in 1996 to 4,275 in 2000 while Dumfries and Galloway reduced from 951 to 453 over the same period.

Nationally, there are 6.7 staff per 1,000 of the population. The highest ratios are found in the islands councils of Orkney Islands (14.6 per cent), Shetlands (13.7 per cent) and Eileanan Star (13.5 per cent). The lowest ratios are in Dumfries and Galloway (3.1 per cent), East Dunbartonshire (4.5 per cent) and East Renfrewshire (4.8 per cent).

The majority of social work staff continues to be female (85 per cent). More than a quarter of all employees work in domiciliary care, a quarter are fieldwork staff and 17 per cent work in residential settings. Almost two thirds provide services to adults, 16 per cent serve children and families while 3 per cent work within criminal justice.

Of the 34,161 posts, 1,800 (or 5 per cent) were vacant including 330 for qualified social workers.