To consider the development of the Council’s approach to the recruitment and retention of Social Workers. [Report To Follow]

Contact: Sam Williams, Assistant Director-Workforce

Donessa Gray, Assistant Director, Services to Children & Families introduced the Recruitment and Retention of Social Workers Report which provided an overview of the challenges and actions taken to address this issue as part of Shropshire Council’s commitment to a Healthy Organisation within the Shropshire Plan. 

It was reported that the recruitment and retention of social workers was an issue nationally and was a challenge due to the high turnover of staff and reliance on agency workers. Donessa Gray, Assistant Director, Services to Children & Families added that a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the West Midlands relating to caps on the amount paid to agency children’s social workers had been in existence for some time, however, many of the Local Authorities who signed up to this have been granted exemptions whereas Shropshire remains within the MoU. 

In response to questions members were advised that:

·     There were occasions where agency staff were leaving and not working their notice period. This was usually due to poor work which was referred to Social Work England.

·     The apprenticeship scheme was not affected by the voluntary redundancy programme  and following the closure of the University in the Guildhall the Council had identified an alternative provider in regard to the taught element of the scheme.

·     There had been a lot of work undertaken as part of the Shropshire Plan to protect social care frontline services and to ensure children were a priority for the whole Council, however, there was an opportunity to strengthen this when the Plan was reviewed next year.

·     There were a number of existing hubs across the county which were being utilised to reduce travelling time for social workers and there were plans to increase the number hubs.

·     The delay in relation to DBS checks would be investigated further and any support from the Committee would be appreciated.

·     The 45p mileage rate was set by Government and would have implications nationally if increased.

·     The suggestion to include a clause to penalise agencies when staff do not work their notice period would be investigated.

RECOMMENDED:

•   That Cabinet should write to and lobby HMRC to review and increase the 45p mileage rate for those travelling to carry out their statutory role in larger rural and sparsely populated Local Authorities, such as Social Workers.? 

•   That Cabinet should write to the relevant bodies, including the Police, to highlight the impact of delays in completing enhanced DBS checks on key roles and functions, including the recruitment of social workers and foster carers, and ask what action can and is being taken to address the causes of delays, by when.

Information Request:

That a note should be sent to all Members of the Committee setting out the situation with the capping pay for agency workers, specifically highlighting the position in relation to the DfE and the awaited Technical Guidance.

That data and key messages on the reasons why Social Workers were leaving the Council from their exit surveys/leavers questionnaires, including learning and subsequent actions, was shared with all Members of the Committee.