Halton social worker losses mean services could fail, MP says

Mr Amesbury said problems retaining staff created "a less stable presence" for vulnerable children

A council's loss of two social workers for every one it recruits means its children's social care could "ultimately fail", an MP has said.

Mike Amesbury, who represents Weaver Vale, said high workloads, low wages and lack of support were causing recruitment issues for Halton Council.

He said national "underfunding" and overuse of agency staff were to blame.

The council and the Department for Education have been approached for comment.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service said Mr Amesbury told a Children's Social Care Workforce debate in the Commons that the system was in "crisis" across the country.

Reform needed

He said using temporary agency social workers to fill staff shortages was "expensive" for councils and created "a less stable presence" in the lives of children and families being supported.

"Social care has a deep and profound impact on the lives of vulnerable children, but a system that cannot maintain a stable, supported workforce will ultimately fail," he said.

"It has got to the point where for every new social worker coming to work in Halton, there are two leaving.

"It is completely and utterly unsustainable."

He added that nationally, children's social care had been "woefully underfunded, with council finances hollowed out by 50% over the past 12 years" and it was something the new prime minister "will have to focus on urgently".

"The safety and welfare of all our children in need is paramount for any government of any political persuasion," he said.

"A well-rewarded and valued workforce would focus on our most in-need children, and ensure that they live in a safe, loving, compassionate and caring environment, with opportunities in the future of their lives."

Responding, Education Minister Brendan Clarke-Smith said the government "recognised the need for children's social care reform in our manifesto... and we announced our intention for an independent review of children's social care".

"As the review sets out... social worker recruitment, retention and quality are not consistently at the levels they need to be across the country," he added.

"Sadly, that inevitably has an impact on the outcomes for our most vulnerable children.

"That is why, in addition to continued investment in our programmes, we intend to publish our children's social care reform implementation strategy by the end of this year."

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