Susan Cranie urges social work retirees to rejoin workforce

Retired social workers are being encouraged back into practice by a new scheme targeting those aged 60 and over.
Susan Cranie, a former social work agency boss, is offering support for experienced professionals who want to return to work.
Cranie told Community Care she believed retired professionals were a “valuable resource” that could help alleviate the current national shortage of social workers.
But she said many professionals over the age of 60 were often “frustrated” in their efforts to re-enter the profession. Cranie’s scheme aims to equip social workers with the right skills including IT and provide independent financial advice to those concerned about the impact of re-entering employment on their pensions.
“If we can smooth the path to returning to the profession, I’m convinced a huge number of reluctant retirees would love to get back to practice,” Cranie said.
Figures provided by the General Social Care Council show that there are currently 17,866 qualified social workers over the age of 55, out of a total of 95,971.
The British Association of Social Workers is offering 50% off a year’s membership subscription for anyone who signs up to Cranie’s scheme.

• Full details will be available here from 1 March. 
• Will encouraging social workers over 60 back into practice solve current recruitment problems? Have your say in our online poll.

Related articles

The social workers who do not want to retire

Social worker of the year is practitioner at a YOI

A social care employer’s guide to hiring agency staff