An exclusive Community Care poll has revealed that 40% of social workers have taken on a second job on financial grounds. Almost two-thirds were considering leaving the profession because of stress and many were in debt. Do these findings ring true to you? Do you know anyone who has had to take a second job, or have you taken one yourself? 

I've never had to take a second job myself but I do know someone who did some decorating for people on the side, just to make a bit of extra cash. I think in terms of the stress and responsibility social workers have to deal with, they are certainly not paid enough

I find it quite shocking that some social workers have had to take second jobs - it's not as if being a social worker is not demanding and tiring enough in itself. Are social workers really driving round in minicabs in their spare time?

It's pretty poor isn't it, for both practitioners and service users. I mean what service user wants to know that the person with key responsibilities as regards their wellbeing is slogging their guts out after hours, be it driving minicabs or anything else.

That's why social workers should have their own pay commission, so that the content and value of their work is more appropriately linked, which will hopefully mean no more second jobbing.

I have today read an article in the local paper saying that the local authority is having to use an agency to locate Qualified Social workers from as far away as Autralia and the USA. The reasoning behind this decision is explained as necassary to attempt to reduce the burden of agency workers who can cost the authority as much as £20,000 per year more thatn a full time worker.

Surely the maths are simple, pay regular full time Social workers a descent wage that reflects the role they play in society and you will not struggle so much to find them here.

I myself have worked in the private sector for the last 15yrs, 5yrs of which has been post qualifying. I would really enjoy the challenge and diversity of working for local government, however can not afford to take a pay cut that would be considerable.

Hi Lewes and welcome to the forum!

The agency worker/overseas recruitment situation is pretty ridiculous isn't it and gives the lie to the idea that higher pay for social workers mean higher bills for the public purse.

Interesting what you say about the private sector - I wonder if wages are generally higher or whether this is specific to geography or particular areas of practice?

My experience has been in the field of children and families, either residential childrens homes or more recently independant fostering. I can tell you from my experience that this is far better paid in the private sector than the public.

The major issue around this is that the funding for the placments that allow for this disparity to exist are funded by LOCAL AUTHORITY. That really does not make sense. Why can the private sector provide a high quality well managed service for a profit, and one that is vigorously inspected where the local authority cannot.

It would appear that the LA's in this country are moving more toward sending more and more sections out to tender. This is fine if you are able to offer a better quality service to service users. However this makes no sense at all when every LA is complaining of being cash strapped and in need of finding workers form abroad.

 You're right - it doesn't make much sense. I wonder why local authorities can't seem to be able to provide these services themselves?Are they just too big? Why are they not paying social workers as much as private companies do? The problem with this kind of tendering process is that more and more public money is just ending up as private sector profit.

Absolutely, private sector profit can at times be obscene. I have first hand experience of that. Dont get me wrong I am not advocating for the abolition of the private sector, I do believe that they have a role to play in ensuring the continuation of raising standards within the sector. However if LA's would pay a salary that was comparable then more social workers would move into or remain within the public sector and assist with developing the service that is needed from within.

I do not believe that all private sector staff are better that those working for the public sector, and I can say that I have met some very dedicated and skilled staff in both settings. however those working for LA's are generally overworked, under-resourced and definately under-valued, these are the reasons that the private sector is able to tempt them away.

It may be an unpopular view but I actually feel that social workers are paid a decent salary, especially when compared to other groups such as nurses. How much should a child protection social worker be paid in London?

I'm sure it's a mixed picture. Some practitioners will have done well as a result of councils responding to market conditions, perhaps especially in London, by upping wages and introducing golden hellos etc.

But figures published today by Skills for Care (see page 89 of this report), taken from last year's national annual survey of hours and earnings, show that social workers earned 84% of the average professional wage, below probation officers and well below all teachers (though interestingly above nurses, who have had the benefits of the NHS's Agenda for Change process).

It's not just about pay - as important as that is - but also about employers making their staff feel valued by supporting them. There has been far too much written lately about bullying styles of senior management.

It seems that far too many senior managers seem to lose sight of what 'grassroots' social work is all about and concentrate more on meeting Targets even if the quality is not always evident and coming in 'on budget' - again that is important but in my experience much budget-management is of poor quality and it is not always easy to know where the pressures really as as budgets are 'manipulated.'

We need to revisit the origins of social work / social care - local authority social woork forms only a very small part - what about all the unpaid Carers who selflessly care for family members at no cost to the State whatsoever.

The general 'health' of social work is not good but better pay alone will not solve it.

Hi, I have just left LA Children's services after 12 years and am now employed in the private sector, my take home pay is similar, but I have to admit to experiencing withdrawals from the hussle and bustle of local authority children's social work.

Occasionally I do residential or support work via an Agency to top up my wages and I know other social workers who do other work outside of the day job.

I just wanted to say that in the last month I have been contacted by an Agency who are recruiting for UK social workers to work in the USA....and in this weeks Com Care magazine there is a big advert for SW roadshows to recruit for Australian CHildren's services.

I guess thats social work all over, UK Senior Managers go to USA and Australia to recruit and Senior Managers from USA and Australia come to the UK to recruit........I wonder if Il ever be a Senior Manager........dreaming of where to go, to recruit of course....maybe Bali or Jamaica...or some small hot and quiet island........