1. Indicators (in post, starters, leavers, agency workers, vacancies, caseload and absence)
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FTE and headcount figures on: social workers in post; starters; leavers; agency social workers in post; vacancies; caseload; and sickness absence.
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Data set details
- Theme
- Children's social care
- Publication
- Children's social work workforce
- Release
- Reporting year 2025
- Release type
- Number of rows
- 1,463
- Geographic levels
- Local authority, National, Regional
- Indicators
- Social workers in post - FTE (as at 30 September)
- Social workers in post - headcount (as at 30 September)
- Social worker starters - FTE (year to 30 September)
- Time period
- 2017 to 2025
Data set preview
| time_period | time_identifier | geographic_level | country_code | country_name | region_code | region_name | old_la_code | new_la_code | la_name | inpost_fte | inpost_headcount | starters_fte | starters_headcount | leavers_fte | leavers_headcount | turnover_rate_fte | turnover_rate_headcount | agency_fte | agency_headcount | agency_rate_fte | agency_rate_headcount | agency_cover_fte | agency_cover_rate_fte | vacancy_fte | vacancy_rate_fte | vacancy_agency_cover_rate_fte | case_holders_fte | cases | caseload_fte | working_days_lost_fte | absence_rate_fte |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Reporting year | National | E92000001 | England | 36186.3 | 38292 | 5837.8 | 6043 | 4276.3 | 4611 | 11.8 | 12 | 5415.9 | 5566 | 13 | 12.7 | 4390.8 | 81.1 | 5965.4 | 14.2 | 73.6 | 21105.4 | 321661 | 15.2 | 322786.3 | 3.5 | |||||
| 2025 | Reporting year | Regional | E92000001 | England | E12000001 | North East | 2299.3 | 2434 | 363.2 | 375 | 269.9 | 289 | 11.7 | 11.9 | 206 | 210 | 8.2 | 7.9 | 158.5 | 77 | 223.9 | 8.9 | 70.8 | 1378.9 | 22736 | 16.5 | 22947.5 | 3.9 | |||
| 2025 | Reporting year | Regional | E92000001 | England | E12000002 | North West | 5239.2 | 5538 | 930.1 | 966 | 637.7 | 685 | 12.2 | 12.4 | 1044.5 | 1057 | 16.6 | 16 | 741.9 | 71 | 975 | 15.7 | 76.1 | 3116.7 | 49351 | 15.8 | 54697.2 | 4.1 | |||
| 2025 | Reporting year | Regional | E92000001 | England | E12000003 | Yorkshire and The Humber | 4116 | 4405 | 600.1 | 618 | 408.8 | 445 | 9.9 | 10.1 | 353.1 | 358 | 7.9 | 7.5 | 221.3 | 62.7 | 330.8 | 7.4 | 66.9 | 2172.4 | 34544 | 15.9 | 42690.2 | 4.1 | |||
| 2025 | Reporting year | Regional | E92000001 | England | E12000004 | East Midlands | 2626.6 | 2802 | 425.8 | 454 | 257.2 | 306 | 9.8 | 10.9 | 300.4 | 308 | 10.3 | 9.9 | 258 | 85.9 | 352.4 | 11.8 | 73.2 | 1613.6 | 24682 | 15.3 | 27516 | 4.1 |
Variables in this data set
| Variable name | Variable description |
|---|---|
| absence_rate_fte | Sickness absence rate - FTE (year to 30 September) |
| agency_cover_fte | Agency workers in post covering vacancies - FTE (as at 30 September) |
| agency_cover_rate_fte | Agency workers covering vacancies rate - FTE (as at 30 September) |
| agency_fte | Agency workers in post - FTE (as at 30 September) |
| agency_headcount | Agency workers in post - headcount (as at 30 September) |
Footnotes
- Kensington and Chelsea and Westminster were unable to provide data for 2025 following a cyberattack which had a significant impact on their information management systems. Therefore, figures from the previous year were used as best estimates for these local authorities to calculate 2025 totals for England, London, and Inner London.
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Contact us
If you have a specific enquiry about 1. Indicators (in post, starters, leavers, agency workers, vacancies, caseload and absence) statistics and data:
Children’s Services Statistics Team
Email: csww.stats@education.gov.ukContact name: Andy Brook