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About 50 per cent of visitors to Community Care's website say that plans to give primary schools more freedom undermine the government's aim for integrated services supporting all children. This week's question asks: Would you consider becoming an independent social worker to escape poor local authority working conditions? To vote, go to www.communitycare.co.uk Councils are set to miss an "unrealistic" government target for adult social care efficiencies, despite the huge savings already in motion.

The implications of a study from the Institute of Public Finance are that the £180m savings in this financial year would need to increase to at least £250m in each of the next two years to hit the Department of Health's £684m target.

But the £180m savings already represent more than twice those made in any other service, and, with less slack in the system, efficiencies are expected to become more difficult to make.

Andrew Cozens, past president of the Association of Directors of Social Services, described the department's figure as unrealistic.
Although councils are not bound by the department's target, social care leaders believe they will be held to making 2.5 per cent annual efficiency savings across all services.

The department has sent care services efficiency delivery teams into 31 councils to identify sources of savings, and proposals for authorities to follow are expected soon.

Mona Seghal, programme manager for adult social care at the Local Government Association, said councils must hold to their overall 2.5 per cent annual targets and make efficiencies within that as they saw fit.

She said: "It's possible that local authorities could construe the department's targets as their own but that is wrong. We are keen to get the message across that local authorities have to make efficiency savings in the way that's most appropriate for them."

Of the £180m from adult social care, £130m is expected to be cash savings, while the rest represents non-cashable efficiency gains.

Although cashable savings are intended to be reinvested in front-line services, there is no guarantee that the £130m will be poured into adult social care.

Children's social care was the next biggest source of savings, with £82m, £68m of which is expected to be cashable.

The IPF report is available from www.ipf.com