Essex Social Services faces social worker shortage (From Gazette)

Essex Social Services faces social worker shortage

10:20pm Monday 25th January 2010 in

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NEARLY 1,000 Essex children who need social workers do not have them because of staff shortages.

The shocking findings show while the number has fallen by 850 in the past month, there are still nearly 1,000 child care cases without an allocated social worker.

The revelation comes after a north Essex health body recently heard that 12 children on the “at risk” register did not have social workers.

Essex County Council, which runs children’s social services, has been repeatedly criticised by public service watchdogs for its failure to adequately safeguard children.

Peter Martin, the councillor responsible for children’s social services, said recruiting social workers and tackling the outstanding cases was a top priority.

He said: “In line with all other local authorities, we are suffering as much as everyone. It’s a national problem in recruiting people.

“We need to improve the image of the profession. It is a very worthwhile one.”

Mr Martin said the council was looking overseas to recruit social workers to fill the void.

He said: “We have recruited social workers from Australia and New Zealand.

“We have taken on these extra 75 social workers in the past two or three months.”

Rosie Carter, chief executive of child protection charity Safechild, said the figures highlight a failing by the Government to make social work an attractive career.

She said: “It reflects a difficulty everyone has. Social workers don’t get paid enough for what they do.

“The Government needs to invest more money to attract people to the profession and promote social workers for the highly professional people they are.”

Hilton Dawson, chief executive of the British Association of Social Workers, who has visited the county recently, said concerns raised by Essex social workers matched those of workers across the country.

He said: “They talk of unmanageable caseloads, high vacancy rates, lack of support and resources and having to spend too much time on paper work and not enough time working with children and families that need support.”

Council denies cost-cutting is to blame
SENIOR county council staff have told social workers to avoid putting at-risk children into care because of budget problems, it has been claimed.

A source close to social services at Essex County Council said staff had been told to place vulnerable youngsters with relatives of the parents in question, or in some cases leave them where they are, to save cash which would otherwise be spent if they were taken into care.

The source said: “Staff have been told the budgets will not be replenished until next year, and children should be moved to stay with relatives in the meantime, instead of going in to care.”

County Hall confirmed there had been changes and more efforts were being made to keep at risk children at home or with relatives, but denied it was anything to do with cost.

However, it admits there was an increase in the number of children taken into care in the latter part of last year.

Peter Martin, deputy county council leader, said: “Our commitment is always to ensure the best interests of the child.

“While it is considered a last resort to take a child into care, it is not dictated by cost.

“Evidence shows children who remain in the family, or extended family group, have better outcomes than looked-after children.”

He said a new panel has been established to ensure all options and resources are explored to support vulnerable children to remain at home or within their extended family.