Senior social workers are paid nearly 3% less on average than
teachers and 11% less than police officers with equivalent levels
of experience, a Unison study has found.
The survey showed the average salary of senior social workers in
the UK was £33,700 - at least £800 less than some counterparts in
police, education and the NHS.
Although the average salary for newly qualified social workers -
£26,600 - was better than similar grades in teaching and health,
experienced practitioners fell behind significantly higher up the
scale.
For example, qualified social workers received an average of
£29,650, compared with £30,840 for teachers in England and Wales
and £33,400 for teachers in Scotland.
The gap increased between senior social workers, typically paid
£33,700, and experienced teachers in England and Wales (£34,650)
and police sergeants (£38,000).
The typical maximum salary for senior social workers was found
to be £35,300, compared with £39,000 for the highest-paid midwives
and health visitors in the NHS.
Unison said preliminary findings of the in-depth study proved
the case for a "nationally recognised career structure", with
greater incentives to keep experienced practitioners on the
frontline.
Rather than supporting recent calls for a new national pay scale
for the profession, which "could take years" to implement, Helga
Pile, Unison's national officer for social workers, said salaries
could be increased by amending existing pay structures.
But Pile, whose union represents 40,000 social workers across
the UK, warned that this would have to be backed by additional
funding in order to solve the staffing crisis in the profession.
Research published by the union earlier this year revealed average
vacancy rates in social work positions of 14% in England, with
lower rates of 7-10% in the Scotland, Wales and Northern
Ireland.
"There are already serious shortages of social workers, and many
more are leaving the profession. It is crucial we start to make
social work an attractive profession again, and we need to do it
fast," Pile said.
"Improving pay is a key element, alongside making the job more
bearable by tackling working conditions."
The survey was carried out by external researchers from Incomes
Data Services using data current for 2009.
Pile added: "There is no getting away from the fact that this
improved system would need extra funding. But with the current
social work staffing crisis, it is clear that the cost of doing
nothing would be huge."
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