Valuing the social worker workforce

The children’s social care sector is facing significant social worker retention pressures and challenges with child and family social worker recruitment. Research in Practice is leading a partnership with King’s College, London, and Essex County Council to deliver several Department for Education reforms.

Research in Practice is leading a partnership with King’s College, London, and Essex County Council to deliver several Department for Education reforms to social work.

The children’s social care sector is facing significant social worker retention pressures and challenges with child and family social worker recruitment.

Research in Practice with King’s College, London, Essex County Council, and a team of skilled associates, have been commissioned to deliver several Department for Education planned reforms to social work. The work will include the National Workload Action Group, resources to support employers to adhere to the social work employer standards, and tools to support local authorities to engage agency social workers.

Regular updates will be published on this page. To find out more about the work, contact: NWAG@researchinpractice.org.uk.

The work will include: 

National Workload Action Group (NWAG) – Research in Practice will act as secretariat and independent facilitator for the NWAG, to deliver solutions to reduce unnecessary workload drivers that take social workers away from direct time with children and families. 

Social worker retention – Develop, test and produce tools and resources to support employers to adhere to the social work employer standards and to support the retention of social workers. 

Agency social workers – Develop, test and produce tools and resources to support local authorities to engage agency social workers effectively, collaboratively and in-line with the proposed national rules.

Latest news and views