News

Social services departments failed to hit their targets for reducing job vacancies last year, according to the sector's annual workforce survey.

The study, published by training body Skills for Care, shows average vacancies fell by just 0.3 per cent to 11 per cent between 2002-3 and 2003-4.

Had all departments met their targets, the vacancy rate would have been 10.2 per cent.

Vacancies rose by 2 per cent to 11.6 per cent in the West Midlands, but fell by 3.2 per cent in the traditional recruitment hotspot of outer London.

The vacancy rate was highest in inner London at 18.3 per cent, with a low of 6 per cent in the North East, while rates varied nationally between 0.7 per cent and 35 per cent.

The hard-to-recruit area of child care social work saw a fall in vacancies between 2002 and 2003 from 12.6 per cent to 11.8 per cent.

• The State of the Social Care Workforce is available from www.skillsforcare.org.uk