Leadbetter calls for four-year degree

The three-year social work degree to be introduced next September
should be four years, according to former president of the
Association of Directors of Social Services Mike Leadbetter.

Speaking at a recruitment and retention conference in London,
Leadbetter said the new three-year degree should be extended to
four years so it could be more specialised.

Leadbetter said the three-year degree was welcome but that social
workers’ training was still lagging far behind that of vets,
accountants and lawyers. He also said that in order to retain good
staff, it was inevitable that the basic pay for a social worker
would have to increase to between £28,000 and £30,000.