How will the upcoming agency social work rules affect councils' use of locums in children's services?
- It will have no impact because of high vacancy levels. (78%, 604 Votes)
- It will fall by a small amount. (11%, 89 Votes)
- It will reduce significantly. (11%, 82 Votes)
Total Voters: 775
Loading ...Rules curbing councils’ use of agency social workers in children’s services will start coming into force next month, the Department for Education (DfE) has announced.
Under the policy, English authorities will be expected to agree regional pay caps on locums’ hourly rates, refrain from hiring early career practitioners, or staff who have recently left permanent roles in the same region, as agency workers and ensure they directly manage all staff hired through so-called project teams.
The DfE said the rules – part of the previous government’s Stable Homes, Built on Love children’s social care reforms – were designed “to reduce the overreliance on and costs of agency child and family social workers” to authorities, saving them money and improving continuity of support for children.
The proportion of agency staff in the children’s services workforce rose sharply between 2021 and 2023, from 15.5% to 17.8% of full-time equivalent (FTE) positions.
During the same period, the Association of Directors of Children’s Services (ADCS) issued repeated warnings that agencies had started engaging in “profiteering” in the face of councils’ increasing recruitment struggles, including by limiting the supply of locums to so-called project teams, driving up cost.
The ADCS welcomed the introduction of the rules, however, agency body the Recruitment and Confederation (REC) said it remained concerned that they may exacerbate social work’s recruitment and retention problems.
About the agency social work rules
What are the rules?
- Councils should work within regions to agree and implement maximum hourly pay rates for agency practitioners (including employers’ national insurance contributions and holiday pay) in each of the following roles: social worker, senior social worker, advanced practitioner, team manager and independent reviewing officer/conference chair. Implementation: caps should be agreed in summer 2025 and implemented from 1 October 2025 for all new agency assignments and for all existing arrangements shortly thereafter.
- In all contractual arrangements to supply social workers through project teams or packaged arrangements, all workers are identified and approved by the local authority in advance, costs are disaggregated for each worker and any other service and councils maintain complete control of practice. Implementation: 31 October 2024 for new agency staff assignments, unless prevented by existing contractual obligations, and by 1 October 2025 for all contracts for agency assignments.
- Notice periods for agency social workers should be four weeks or in line with that for permanent social workers in the same or equivalent roles where the latter is shorter. Implementation: 31 October 2024 for all new agency staff assignments, unless prevented by existing contractual obligations, and by 1 October 2025 for all contracts for agency assignments.
- Councils should not engage social workers as locums within three months of them leaving a permanent post in the same region. Implementation: 31 October 2024 for all new agency staff assignments, unless prevented by existing contractual obligations, and by 1 October 2025 for all contracts for agency assignments.
- Councils should only use agency social workers with a minimum of three years’ post-qualifying experience in direct employment of an English local authority in children’s services. Periods of statutory leave taken as part of continuous employment count towards post-qualifying experience and the three years can be gained through several periods of employment. Implementation: 31 October 2024 for all new agency staff assignments, unless prevented by existing contractual obligations, and by 1 October 2025 for all contracts for agency assignments.
- Councils should provide a detailed practice-based reference, using a standard national template, for all agency social workers they engage and require at least two such references the same before taking on a locum. Implementation: 31 October 2024 for all new agency staff assignments, unless prevented by existing contractual obligations, and by 1 October 2025 for all contracts for agency assignments.
Data collection requirements
Councils must (by law) supply the DfE with quarterly data on each agency social work assignment and on their use of locums generally. Assignment data must include the role type, hourly pay rate, start and end dates, the social worker’s registration number and details of whether they are part of project teams or packaged models. General data must include the local authority’s degree of compliance with each rule, explanations for non-compliance, details of price cap breaches, including who signed them off, a list of agencies whose behaviour affected rule compliance and the total monthly cost of the agency workforce.
Councils must submit their first cut of data, covering 1 January to 31 March 2025, between 1 April 2025 and 31 May 2025. Price cap data will be submitted from the final quarter of 2025 (1 October to 31 December) onwards.
How the policy has changed
The proposed rules have undergone multiple changes since being proposed in February 2023.
It also ditched a proposed ban on the use of project teams, allowing authorities to continue using them so long as they retained management control over them and were able to approve the hiring of each practitioner.
The ADCS criticised the latter decision as blunting the rules’ potential to support continuity of support for children and tackle the practice of agencies restricting the supply of agency staff to teams, rather than individual locums.
The DfE subsequently confirmed that councils would be able to breach regional price caps, though would need to report all such breaches to the department.
Changes to price cap plans
Following consultation on the statutory guidance, at the start of 2024, the DfE has made further changes to the plans.
While price caps were previously designed to cover the total cost to councils of hiring an agency worker, including agency and managed service provider (MSP) fees, they will now just cover the locum’s hourly pay, including employers’ national insurance contributions and holiday pay.
This was primarily in response to concerns about councils having to share details with regional partners about agency and MSP fees, which are commercially sensitive.
More clarity on notice periods and implementation date
On notice periods, some respondents criticised the DfE’s proposal to simply align these with those for permanent staff in similar roles, on the grounds that this would remove the flexibility that was integral to agency work.
In response, the department has introduced a standard four-week notice period for locums, with shorter periods used where these aligned with arrangements for equivalent permanent staff.
Also, the DfE has introduced a cut-off date – 1 October 2025 – for councils to bring all their contractual arrangements into line with the rules, having previously said this should happen “as soon as reasonably possible”.
This was in response to calls for greater clarity and to improve compliance with the rules.
No ban on project teams but DfE will review approach
While the DfE rejected calls from the ADCS and the British Association of Social Workers (BASW) for the rules to prohibit the use of project teams, it said it remained open to tightening its proposed arrangements.
“We will review the efficacy of this approach and remain open to further restrictions on local authority use of project teams or other
packaged models to ensure every model of resourcing social workers supports the best interests of children and families.”
How the rules will be implemented
The rules will be implemented in four stages:
- From 31 October 2024, councils will be expected to follow statutory guidance on the rules, meaning they should comply with it other than in exceptional circumstances. In practice, they will be expected to comply with all of the rules, except those on price caps, for new agency staff assignments, unless where contractually prohibited.
- From 1 January 2025, councils must start collecting data for the quarterly collection, with the first submission, covering the first quarter of 2025, due in April or May 2025.
- In June and July 2025, councils will be expected to agree price caps within their regions, submitting these to the DfE by 1 August 2025.
- From 1 October 2025, the price caps should be applied to all new agency assignments, with all other assignments following as soon as possible thereafter. By the same date, the rules in general should be in force for all contractual arrangements to hire agency staff.
Directors welcome rules in face of ‘high costs’ of agency workforce
The ADCS welcomed the pledge to review project team rules.
Vice president Rachael Wardell said: “ADCS is clear social work is not a short-term project, at the heart of good social work with children and families is building long lasting relationships in order to empower those we work with to make positive, sustained changes in their lives.”
More broadly, she said the agency rules would “allow us to better support the children and families that we work with while maintaining a sufficiently flexible agency workforce”.
“Recruiting and retaining a permanent stable social work workforce is an increasing challenge for local authorities as is our overreliance on agency workers and the high costs associated with agency use,” she added
“Children and families tell us they benefit from having a consistent worker who builds a strong meaningful relationship with them, yet the short-term nature of agency social work and the level of turnover, including churn amongst agency workers, makes this more difficult to achieve.”
Agency sector concerns
For agency sector body the REC, deputy chief executive Kate Shoesmith welcomed the fact that the government had recognised the “important role agency workers, interims and locums play in children and family services”, driven by “growing demand on social services, increasing pressure on social workers and a strong desire for flexible working are key drivers”.
She also acknowledged “encouraging” changes made since the policy was first proposed last year, including allowing councils to breach agency pay caps.
However, she added: “It is going to be vitally important that each measure is fully evaluated so the proposals set out today do not exacerbate the significant recruitment and retention crisis in the UK social care sector.”
The rules do not apply to local authority adults’ services or any other sector of social work employment in England.
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Every other public sector worker (police, teachers, nurses, train drivers, etc) were given 15 per cent pay rises, but not social workers (or care workers). I am ecstatic about the news on pay caps for agency social workers, as after 27 years of being a statutory children’s social worker, I have no choice but to leave the profession. I am grateful the decision has been made for me. The new labour Government is welcome to their crumbling service, of long unpaid hours, high caseloads, and no managerial support. I can now move on, and not look back.
Abdul I want to leave this awful so called profession too. What are you going to do next? I need to get out
Hi James,
Have you considered a job in Security? What I did was talk to the Security Guards (i.e. network and advocate for yourself) at my workplace in a Local Authority, and they are always in demand. Stay out of retail, as it’s too much trouble, but look for jobs in Corporate Security. I completed a Door Supervisor Course (5 days) and am also looking into a CCTV course. You can then register with the SIA, and are good to go. The rates may seem low initially (between £13.00 -15:00 per hour), but you can work 10 – 12 hour days, and pick up overtime. A Security Guard I know earns £15.50 per hour, works 10 hours over 5 days, and earns around £750 – after tax – per week.
What about looking into jobs as a Border Force or Customs Agent? They have interesting jobs, and earn overtime.
What about looking into the Community Safety Team, as you can work there with a Door Supervisor Qualification (and SIA registration), and all your skills are transferable – i.e. report writing and appearing as a witness in court.
What about a NHS 111 call handler via an agency? You just screen the calls, can work from home, pick up overtime, and hand on to Nurses if more complex?
There are a lot of things we can do, we just need to think outside the box, and sell ourselves.
Agreed Abdul. We work overtime for free do our hourly rate easily drops to that. We’re all best out of this dreadful “profession”.
I’m with you but it won’t work anyhow, all the legislation is now just guidance, almost every measure proposed was in breech of general contract and employment legislation and was grossly discriminative. Of course the government won’t overtly admit to that, instead it will produce a list of things which ’should’ be done.
If you read the proposals, the updated draft amounts to a series of climb downs attempting to address the issues I have highlighted below, while retaining a rhetoric of decisive activity and enforcement. Mr Smith the president of the Association of the Directors of Children’s Services, has in a recent article attempted to contribute to this rhetoric by suggesting the proposals are beginning to take effect, one would ‘probably’ be hard pressed to find a statement with as many qualifying adverbs as his, everything he says is presented in indefinite terms. There is no evidence to support his assertion.
This is how the new guidance will impact the profession; we have seen this all before.
Some regional areas will achieve the implementation of an initial pay cap, as they have done so in the past, then acute need will drive permissible breaches of the cap (Why do you think the guidance allows for breaches?), in areas where staff shortages become acute.
i) In terms of roles within the Social Work profession, acute areas of need will arise in:
Child Protection, court and assessment teams, which will be the first to experience the squeeze, as workers look for less stressful posts in Looked After, fostering teams and other such services. CP and court focussed teams will feel the pinch most, many experienced practitioners will go to IRO posts and to managerial posts in less pressured services.
ii) Geographically acute need will arise in:
Authorities, which are already in significant trouble, particularly those lacking staff with ‘inadequate’ OFSTED ratings, will not as hoped, be populated be Social Workers seeking permanent roles, they will be deserted by Social Workers seeking better conditions. Locums will be needed all the more and demand will outstrip supply.
Geographically remote authorities with relatively sparse populations like Cumbria and Devon will have to have higher pay rates than other authorities and the more mobile Social Workers will move to those regions. Such authorities could benefit from the changes initially but not if they pay a poor rate. If they keep their rates high, which they will have to, they will be able to cherry-pick the best people.
The agency Social Workers most affected will be inexperienced locums, who are really not yet ready to go to the more challenging authorities and to work in isolation, with nothing but their values experience and knowledge of The Children Act to support them, they will initially move into permanent posts, or out of the profession altogether (some of them will come back later when the precipitated crisis ensues).
The attrition rate in Social Work will remain high and is likely to increase, as burn out and poor prospects hamper retention and recruitment. The culture in many Children’s Services departments is repugnant, the higher ranks of our caring profession, as seasoned practitioners are all too aware, seem to be populated with a disproportionate number of petty tyrants, locum work protects Social Workers from such environments and their originators.
The fact that these measures are being welcomed by the most senior members of the profession, the very directors of the services, is demonstrative of the shameful culture extant within the profession, where Social Workers are seen as a static commodity which needs to be confined and exploited and where a group constituting approximately 15 percent of the workforce, is purported, in the manner of a scape goat, to be accountable for the failings of social work as a whole. Particularly, agency workers are being held responsible for the changes in worker that supposedly affect outcomes for children so critically ( it is true such instability can have a negative effect upon children but less frequent, properly managed changes in relationship do not necessarily cause harm ).
This is a convenient argument for those who wish to have emotive force behind their actions but the idea that children are heavily reliant on long lasting relationships with Social Workers, is an argument that fails to recognise the procedural realities of contemporary Social Work. It is an argument favoured by those who have cost cutting as their real goal.
This is particularly embittering when the true cost of agency staff is in real terms, not that high and when other costs, such as placements for children, have become grossly inflated without justification. A flexible workforce, for whom an organisation has no long term accountability is a great asset in any unpredictable and complex area of demand and such a thing can exist unless the conditions of its existence are paid for.
Locums are necessary in every profession and in one where individual accountability has replaced institutional competence, they are utterly essential.
As I have identified we have seen this all before; I feel compelled to state that the solution to the problem is not to isolate agency Social Workers, attacking their prospects, while covertly assaulting and cheapening every member of the profession but to recognise that social work is a difficult job that requires a unique blend of talents from any individual who aspires to be good at it. The key attributes of a good lawyer, a therapist and charismatic motivational speaker, are a prerequisite to being a good Social Worker; where are such people found?
In professions that recognise the qualities of such people and offer them security, flexibility and good remuneration.
The solution is, pay well, recruit well, train properly, giving candidates access to a high quality legal and therapeutic education, not the imprecise, one dimensional value-based rhetoric that characterises current training.
The new proposals for regulation of agency Social Workers are literally a cheap shot, that is far wide of the mark, the best people will find the gaps that cannot be filled and they will probably see a pay rise. Others will take the blend of talents they have at their disposal elsewhere, when they leave. Staff shortages will drive the wheel around again and it won’t stop spinning until someone realises what a good Social Worker is worth and has the decency to pay them what they are worth.
Spot on!!
👍🏾
Thank you Andrew for taking the time to write an accurate and insightful response to this issue. After 23 years in this profession I have to agree with every word.
This is exactly my thoughts.
Brilliant response!
It’s very difficult for them to appreciate that we sacrifice our time with our own families to support those in crisis situations. Many go locum to be able to afford to get child care support and other activities and sometimes just the bare minimum to repair or recover vehicle after traveling thousands, the mileage pay is a paltry!
“… crumbling service, ..long unpaid hours, high caseloads and no managerial support.. “. How true.
Exploitation of Social Workers by Local Authorities when exploitation does not fit with social work values. What is being done?
I’ve been a social worker for 20 years and now I’m leaving the profession. My overwhelming emotion is relief.
Many SWs like myelf leave due to burnout, overwhelming pressure due to high case load, no pay for overtime work, lack of resources and management support.. Not sure if I will return but CSC front line services are being run by unpaid good will overtime work by SWs more particularly over worked, agency workers. The changes may adversely impact CSC and have a ripple effect on the children and families who are in need of support and protection.
I’ve been in CSC for a long time. I agree with you about SW doing loads of unpaid overtime.
However, but CSC is NOT run by the good will of over worked agency staff. They are paid significantly more than their permanent colleagues who are also overworked, but can’t leave with a weeks notice when the going gets tough.
These changes will be short-lived once certain areas can’t retain/recruit.
Also wouldn’t some of the rules be unlawful practice? I.e. LA not being able to take on someone as an agency who has left a perm job? This isn’t done for other professionals like Dr and nurses… I await the legal challenge.
Agency staff are not paid significantly more
Agreed. When you take into account pension contributions, sick pay, holiday pay, flexible leave, professional indemnity, “umbrella” costs and everything else it works out about the same.
..Wrong!
We have to give a month’s notice now.
We also don’t have the luxury of sicky leave. If we don’t work we don’t get!
I am ‘sick’ of the resentment and jealousy of some – respect that we have all have choice!
i agree with some of what you say. If you calculate agency workers pay after deducting unpaid holidays, unpaid sick, having to pay employers national insurance contributions and no pension. then on top of that no paid bank holidays, ni flexi, no overtime if help out on bank holiday’s. And can have contract ended with no rights with weeks notice. think you will find agency workers are not much better off than permanent and because all deductions from pay makes the gross pay higher so higher amounts of tax has to be paid !
I’m a permanent worker but I disagree. Hourly agency workers get paid more but once you factor in employer pension contributions, sick pay, holiday pay and the general security of permanent work.. financially I don’t think it’s makes a huge difference.
The sad fact of the matter is children’s services would fall down without agency workers stepping in.
Children’s services are broken and not fit for purpose. All these changes ignore the actual problems. Unless you are somebody who values the security of being permanent (like myslef) I see no real incentive to go permanent.
So they can’t fill permanent posts because of the long hours and huge pressure we’re expected to absorb. Now they’re trying to save money on agency workers who, yes are on higher hourly rates, but don’t get any of the perks of full time employees, or perks of being self employed due to IR35. I left the profession 18 months ago and this just confirms I made the right decision. Very sad.
If my hourly rate changes I’m leaving the profession end of.
Genuine question. Where would you go/what would you do that pays so well with not much qualification?
I know plenty of SW earning more than highly skilled professionals such as Dr’s, Engineers and Scientists. Many of these SW struggle with the basics of communication and would never get such highly paid jobs elsewhere.
Ps, i am a SW with many years of experience and I know the SW qualification isn’t very academic despite what social care academics try to suggest.
Lorry driver is a relatively quick qualification and pays a lot more than social work. Train driver, underground driver. Scaffolder, pretty low skill, can get £250 a day. The average permanent pay, you can drive Uber or an Amazon van for similar money. Retrain in any trade and it’s better money than permanent social worker. I’ve had a friend working on the motorway network, low skill work £250 a day. Driving large plant machinery is a quick qualification and pays a lot more than social work. It’s only if you want to stay office based that Social work seems seems reasonable pay. There are very few jobs that have the stress level of front line social worker. It affects your health and I’ve been a social worker for 20 years. I’ve not had a break from the front line for 12 years. I talked to my wife and told her I was quitting social work, she’s worked for the nhs for 22 years. She said, all this was introduced in the nhs years ago. It solved nothing and the salary cap is broken daily by every trust in the country. This is an example of a profession where there’s a race to the bottom. You can go back to serious case reviews from over 20 years ago. Lord Laming recommended that front line child protection social workers pay was increased to attract better candidates into the profession. Now they’re employing international social workers on low pay to plug the gaps and introducing salary caps. They’re going to decimate the profession.
I’m honestly thinking to go work in Tescos or McDonald’s. I left a 17 year LA career due to managers employing their own, the money was rubbish and long hours were expected. I’ve been agency for 10 years and loved how ‘office politics’ no longer affected me as I go in and get the job done. I refuse to work for less pay. I’d rather just leave.
We need to understand why so many SW go agency. If we keep kicking overworked staff they leave or go agency to earn more money for working loads of overtime.
Let’s start paying our social workers for the hours they work rather than 37 hours.
Stop blaming agency workers and look at the issue of why we can’t retain staff.
Police , etc are paid overtime why not social workers.
which agency staff you know receive overtime?
Local authorities should check their policies on flexibility and retention approaches. I have 26 years experience, l would like to get back into a secured position but the value and management culture have changed.
The wages are too low and no genuine incentives for social workers. Mortgages and economics are the major issues confronting the hard but noble job. Please do more to improve your frontline staff.
They know all of this they know we are exploited but yet they continue to do this and we continue to let them we do not fight back BASW, are not the best look at train unions student doctors they fought against government you may not win but at least we stand up to to such appealing working conditions. I am sick of hearing g why is this not done if it’s not on the system it has happened if you work smarter if you work harder then things will get done I mean have you read the title if the new proposals stable homes built on love agency SW really responsible for the systamatic failures and it is clear to me the are scapegoating sw again
Mr McKenzie, well said, let us hope they employ manager’s who have integrity,who can support a team and service users with respect and dignity,have good knowledge base to enable safe decision making and not people who believe a tile gives them the authority to behave in a disrespectful bullying and unprofessional manner towards those they claim to support,safeguard,guide and provide a service.
Whiles social workers are not open and honest about what is really happening nothing will change,a blame culture will continue,service users will not trust professionals,other professionals will continue to undermine social workers.
The service will continue to employ and promote some of the wrong people.The cultural attitudes in some areas of the authority is worrying not only for employees but also service users.
Why not look at why social workers leave the profession leaving the service to rely on agency workers. It is not only because of a lack of resources.Social workers are easy target’s with little support from any where in the establishment .Is it no wonder social workers leave.If a worker does not feel safe in a work environment where there is no support and attitudes are poor why would you remain in such an environment?
My comments are based on my experiences.
Have we lost what the profession is really about!!
If instead of constantly bemoaning their poor lot social workers actually took collective action to address their dissatisfactions employers might take some notice. The disease inherent in social work and perpetuated by social workers that there must be someone other than themselves to tackle these issues is as debilitating as their claimed experiences. Take some responsibility, act and see yourselves as the agents for positive improvement. In 8 years of being a shop steward I am yet to get more than 4 people respond to communications and zero who are prepared to take collective action. Sympathy wears thin when witnessing energy to anonymously post in Community Care dissipating when accountability in the work place is called for too. Employers love to paint social workers as a moaning gaggle. Pains me to say they are more accurate than I’d like to admit.
Mr Wong, I respectfully disagree with your claims that social work training is not academically challenging. As with any professional service your learning does not stop when you qualify. If you think it does is worrying.
Pauline
I say that with years of first hand experience. This includes a post graduate qualification in SW, and having completed lots of post qualifying professional development courses.
IMHO, SW training is not academically challenging. Never has, and realistically, never will. Hence why it is not valued by most professionals. Historically all you needed was the diploma in SW, which was appropriate for the job.
This is not to say the job is easy as it’s a demanding job, but the demands are not academic. It is also unfair on the children, young people and families we work with for Sw to use pseudo academia when working with them.
Wow. Mr Wong, I’m not sure what university you went to, to develop such a dismissive view of the qualification but I’m glad it was easy for you. Most of us worked and studied hard, with a challenging syllabus, harsh marking criteria, insightful, intelligent and challenging lectures.
Add to that the self directed learning which required hours outside of the lectures in our own time, the study groups, practical assignments, practice based learning, psychology, legal and social policy modules etc, and I certainly had a very thorough and academic experience over 5 years as an undergraduate and postgraduate student.
I went to a Red Brick University in the top ten universities in the UK. Did you do an online Diy course??
Alas
Sadly after nearly 30 years as qualified. It is a waste of time and children services endorse . Nothing. But historical stereotypes of safety..good luck to young people..
Instead of looking at the workers who are plugging the gaps. Why don’t we consider the private residential care at untold costs.
Social work is like being in an abusive relationship with your employer. It’s still being put on social workers as the issues. The issue is the previous government, and the one before that as well. They’re all the same.
If permanent workers were paid fairly it wouldn’t make agency more enticing when you feel you can no longer be explored and under valued, in the emotionally draining job we do.
Some social workers are like the tax avoiding rich who always threaten to leave the country if a Labour government is coming or taxes are imposed on them. Except few if any do. Bemoaning they are thinking of leaving social work to work in McDonalds, in supermarkets, to drive lorries, at building sites and the like but somehow never seeming to leave is the social worker equivalent. It’s tiresome rhetoric that doesn’t even have the humour value of cynicism. Those fed up with social work just leave and that’s it for them. Like most people do in any job. There’s nothing special about the stresses experienced by social workers. All workers have pressures, potentially face bullying, have little support to meet targets. Go if you are going but you are not martyrs if you do. You are just another worker being treated like fodder by the industry you work in. It’s called capitalism and it makes no exception for ‘professionals’.
Richard
I agree with everything you say. Finally, someone not scared to give some home truths.
I am a SW and have done agency work too, so I have experience of both sides. For those that say agency workers don’t get holiday pay, yes you do ( or at least I did when I was agency in 2022). I received a higher take home. Even when u factor in employer NI contribution and leave the take home pay was significantly more than perm SW. I know plenty of agency SW who have compare with perm employees and even when factoring in all the above their take home is significantly better.
If people want to go agency good luck to you. You know exactly what you’re signing up for just as perm SW do and could go agency if they moan at being paid less than agency colleagues.
However, some views on agency workers here acting like theyre martyrs. Most agency workers do so for the money.. There is no shame in this as we have to pay our bills and look after our own families. I think it’s disingenuous that agency workers pretend they dont go agency for the money or that things will be better at Mcd or working in a supermarket. The grass certainly isn’t greener and it’s patronising to workers in such jobs… They too have their own stresses and are paid significantly less!
Ps I am not bitter about agency workers I just don’t like the martyr syndrome that is often portrayed on here. The pay is definitely worth it and I’m considering going back to agency work even with the proposed rate caps.
Rate caps are already in place in many areas – it’s old news and all of the above is true to some extent. I am agency for the money but the rates across the last 15 years have been up and down and I am defo worse off than I used to be if you factor in the IR35 stuff and cost of living increases. I have a lot of experience in child protection but have also worked in other less stressful areas like fostering. Guidance is the key issue – I mean why would you work for a failing local authority when the neighbouring one is better for the same money. It will cause disparities eventually and then rates shoot up in one authority over the other – same old same old. I’m bored of this to be honest / agency workers always the fall guys when systems are broken by repeated governments that don’t care!
Mr Wong,I appreciate your response ,I would agree 20 years ago the training may not have been regarded as academy challenging.
However since then you can not pratice unless you have a degree or masters ,you are then expected to ensure you keep up to date with research,pratice, procedures,theory and new legislation and much more to inform pratice.
If you do not have some understanding for example of attachment theories new legislation you do not consider the impact on a baby/ child if placed in foster care at an early age, therefore impacting the child’s early attachments.
I would agree the profession is viewed negatively which therefore detracts from the complexities and importance of the role.
Is this the fault of the social worker or wider issues?
Let’s strike and stop being bullied by trackers and hierarchy who are so out of date on the front t line. I hear a LA in the south east will be allowing SWA to hold all and manage all CIN cases. Cheap labour starting there, it just whitewashed as being a great idea! Residentials charging so much no fostering placements carers leaving due to the demands and lack of support. The system only works for those in higher management pushing more into the foot soldiers it is abusive
Refreshing to read some much ignored home truths from Richard. I’ve been working with a colleague who whenever they are not off work sick have been threatening to leave social work for the past 4 years. There’s always a reason when asked why they haven’t. I stay for the service users is the most mirth inducing. I’ve resisted asking how said service users cope when our colleague is off sick or on holiday. I bet Richard would!
Why is it that rate caps are only applied to social workers & team managers who are on the ground working with these families?
Why aren’t Service Managers, Heads of Service & Directors subject to the same rate caps. Is there any good reason other than turkey’s not voting for Christmas?!
If you’re going to cap it for some groups cap it for all.
If during a learning session comprising social workers and managers where views,sharing of information by different teams.You express your honest and open view’s you are met with” I am speaking” what does that tell you about the leadership!! Why not address the leadership culture.
If an employees can be treated with little or no regard where the motive is to be seen to be put in thier place.Trust me those from a minority or those who are considered do not fit in are treated as the scapegoat ,if social workers are to fearful of expressing valued options, and question’s to those who should respect the persons views what does that tell you about the leadership and mind-set of the organisation which claimes to be the voice of the child.
Did we not train to be the vioce of the child,the most vulnerable ? What does that tell you about the treatment and service experienced by children and families from a different cultural background.
Instead of pitching agency workers against permanent workers,why not look at why agency workers are employed in the first place, why not look at why a manager can not keep a team of social workers together. It is not merely about resources.
If a worker feels safe,valued,supported and receives sound leadership why would the worker want to leave, would they not want to stay.
Instead of expecting or encouraging someone else to be open and honest on our behalf why not stand up and be open and honest yourself if your point is valued!! if you can not do this are we really the voice of the most vulnerable.
Social work is a valued profession( I stand by this and have done for the past 43 years plus) once you undermine it’s relevance you under mine the protection ,trust,safeguards and focus on the role.
Every one needs to feel financially secure,you are told your role will support you in protecting vulnerable children.That is why you trained.Is this view how outdated?
My views,experience,observation has a practising child protection social worker.
Where are the support systems,where is the support of unions,HR departments,agency representatives to safeguard the interest and safety of the workers,where are the managers to speak up and support its workforce,where is the team to support each other,where is the professional respect.I would say it does not exist anymore!!
If the profession does not care about its own workforce why would anyone else.It becomes an unpleasant and unsafe place to be in.
Andrew McKenzie makes some valued points,why not read and reflect on what he is saying makes sense to me.
I feel it impossible to hold back my feelings of anger and shame of the slow destruction of the profession.
I remember many years ago social workers fighting for the right to have fair financial and professional recognition for the complex role we play in Safeguarding Children.
It appears to me the profession is slowly but surely being dismantled in front of our very eyes. Whiles social workers sit by,say nothing and do nothing nothing will change.
I am NOT ASHAMED to say I remained in the job because I recognise the principals and the safeguards the role should offer vulnerable children,adults and families.It is attitudes that have changed.
Yes there are times you tell yourself the job is not good for your health time to find a less emotionally demanding job or it is time to leave,however you return.(I have done the same thing)
Yes there are social workers who are committed there are also those who are not!!
How committed to the role you are is the individual’s choice.If you want to be more informed in your role do further reading,research and asking questions to inform your pratice.
Agency workers do need a level of experience and ability to pratice in different district.Agency work is difficuilt for various reason’s.
Is it not managers and senior management who should also be open and honest about what workers face on the frontline? or is it okay to sit by and watch a failing profession which is there to protect and safeguard.
Should we resign ourselfs to being comfortable with the uncomfortable,however this does not solve anything for the profession and certainly not for the vulnerable child living in fear or the abused parent or the elderly person.
What a self and social work profession DETRACTING echo chamber!!!
I want to burst open some myths and just invite us to think about some potentially uncomfortable beliefs.
1. Qualified Agency workers don’t go in for the Money… anyone who does should not be in Social Work… period
2. It’s hypocrisy to pretend that if you are employed by a local authority you’re not in it for the money… why do you seek and go on strike for higher pay
3. And why should an agency Social Worker( in fact every social worker not expect to be paid for what they are TRULY worth?..
4. I’d like to ask everyone here who seems to have an issue about being ALLEGEDLY HIGHER than a local authority employed colleague.
WHAT ARE YOU WORTH? — hourly, daily etc.. put a £ sign to it: .. £20, £30.25 £ 40, £60 £ 70…etc “stone cold honesty” ….
5.. Why as social workers are we so uneasy and so ashamed about being paid well for what we do… employed or
6. are you telling me that an agency worker values the life of a child/adult more than an LA-contracted colleague?
7. What is wrong with a qualified licensed colleague exercising some degree of choice ( because that’s what it is) about how and who they choose to work for…
8. these are the important questions and NOT the Emotional Professional Programming that somehow there’s something untoward about a social worker expecting to exercise some degree of financial freedom is intrinsically wrong or contrary to Our social work value and the value of the client we serve
I could go on…
The critical issue here is asking yourself/thinking into where is all this unease about the role of Agency SWs and more importantly; WHAT IS THIS TELLING YOU ABOUT YOU ABOUT YOU
P.S. I’m quite clear in my mind Any colleague, agency or otherwise who comes into social work
just for the money.. should be practicing as one.
I unashamedly and unapologetically defend the right of EVERY social worker to EXPECT to be paid what they are TRULY worth.. and I mean what they’re REALLY worth…
…and I can safely say our worth in monetary terms, is currently decided by someone else NOT by us
hence my question above… WHAT VALUE DO YOU PUT ON YOUR EXPERTISE AND THE VALUE YOU BRING TO THE PEOPLE WE ARE CALLED TO SERVE
Food for thought from a fellow PROUD Social Worker with 30+ years of social work practice, 15 of these as an Independent Social worker
Joe,
If I understand you correctly,I would agree social workers regardless of whether you are permanent staff or agency, as the right to leave an enviromrnt which does not meet their requirements.
There are committed social workers and managers out there. There are those who are not.What I find unacceptable are those who do not care and have their own agendas.
Referring to a worker has an individual and not by name demonstrates to me a lack of respect and dignity for the employee.I can explain in more detail but will not other than to say if an employee is referred to in this manner what is the mind-set of the organisation.
We are all human beings. Children the most vulnerable, if some one is desensitise to the requirements of the role of Safeguarding they should reconsider thier position.
Safe pratice guidance and the ability to ask questions to help a worker understand why we has a collective group of PROFESSIONALS are making decisions in the interest of a child in my opinion is not a bad thing.
The role we play is an important and necessary role in Safeguarding Children one which should be taken seriously.
These are my views,experience and observations has someone who has praticed in Safeguarding for 43 year’s plus.I am with you Joe proud to refer to myself as a social worker.
Therefore before blaming all social workers look at the wider issues.