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
- sickness absence
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Data set details
- Theme
- Children's social care
- Publication
- Children's social work workforce
- Release
- Reporting year 2023
- Release type
- 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 2023
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Reporting year | National | E92000001 | England | 33119.1 | 35199 | 6027.5 | 6247 | 5254.6 | 5640 | 15.9 | 16 | 7173.5 | 7429 | 17.8 | 17.4 | 5744.2 | 80.1 | 7722.7 | 18.9 | 74.4 | 21111.4 | 337055 | 16 | 270751 | 3.2 | |||||
| 2023 | Reporting year | Regional | E92000001 | England | E12000001 | North East | 2159.9 | 2266 | 392.8 | 416 | 307.6 | 331 | 14.2 | 14.6 | 236.5 | 243 | 9.9 | 9.7 | 158 | 66.8 | 265.6 | 10.9 | 59.5 | 1388.8 | 23660 | 17 | 19673 | 3.6 | |||
| 2023 | Reporting year | Regional | E92000001 | England | E12000002 | North West | 4693.9 | 4951 | 893.7 | 920 | 717.1 | 758 | 15.3 | 15.3 | 1207.1 | 1215 | 20.5 | 19.7 | 954.8 | 79.1 | 1211.3 | 20.5 | 78.8 | 2969.9 | 48864 | 16.5 | 44417 | 3.7 | |||
| 2023 | Reporting year | Regional | E92000001 | England | E12000003 | Yorkshire and The Humber | 3702.7 | 4008 | 679.2 | 699 | 531.4 | 584 | 14.4 | 14.6 | 695.9 | 711 | 15.8 | 15.1 | 426.8 | 61.3 | 659.3 | 15.1 | 64.7 | 2309.4 | 38010 | 16.5 | 30800.7 | 3.3 | |||
| 2023 | Reporting year | Regional | E92000001 | England | E12000004 | East Midlands | 2281.1 | 2507 | 359.2 | 395 | 377 | 420 | 16.5 | 16.8 | 453.8 | 467 | 16.6 | 15.7 | 387.7 | 85.4 | 501.7 | 18 | 77.3 | 1522.1 | 24725 | 16.2 | 21927.2 | 3.8 |
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
- Full-time Equivalent (FTE) figures are calculated by aggregating the total number of hours that social workers are contracted to work and dividing by the standard hours for their grade. FTE figures exclude social workers for whom FTE information was missing or not known.
- Headcount is a count of all individual children and family social workers, regardless of their working pattern. Where a social worker holds more than one post within a local authority, only one post is counted (the more senior role where applicable).
- The vacancy rate, as at 30 September, is calculated as FTE vacancies divided by the sum of FTE vacancies and FTE social workers.
- The sickness absence rate is calculated as the number of days missed due to sickness absence during the year to 30 September divided by the number of FTE social workers in post at 30 September multiplied by 253 days (the number of working days in a non-leap year, taking account of bank holidays). The rate for a leap year is based on 254 working days.
- The turnover rate is calculated as (the number of) children and family social worker leavers in the year to 30 September divided by children and family social workers in post at 30 September. The turnover rate is a measure of churn in the workforce (although it doesn’t capture the movement of social workers to different children and family social work positions within the same local authority).
- The agency worker rate, as at 30 September, is calculated as (the number of) FTE agency (children and family) social workers divided by the sum of FTE agency social workers and FTE social workers.
- Average caseload at 30 September is calculated as the total number of cases held by FTE social workers, including agency workers, in post divided by the number of FTE social workers, including agency workers, in post that held one or more cases.
- Starters are social workers who joined a vacant children and family social worker post at a local authority in the year ending 30 September. The following are included in the social worker starters figures: those joining from the same local authority, but from a non-children and family social work position; those joining from a children and family social work position in another local authority in England; and those joining from an agency children and family social work position. The following are not included in the social worker starters figures: those moving or being promoted from one children and family social work position to another within the same local authority; those returning from maternity or sick leave; and those who started and left in the same reporting year.
- Leavers are social workers who left a children and family social worker post at a local authority in the year ending 30 September. The following are included in the social worker leavers figures: those who are staying at the same local authority, but are moving to a non-children and family social work position; those moving to a children and family social work position in a different local authority in England; those moving to an agency children and family social work position; those who have begun a career break; those seconded out of an organisation; and those leaving the profession altogether. The following are not included in the social worker leavers figures: those moving or being promoted from one children and family social work position to another within the same local authority; those who have started maternity or sick leave; and those who started and left in the same reporting year.
- The agency workers covering vacancies rate, as at 30 September, is calculated as (the number of) FTE agency workers covering vacancies divided by FTE agency workers.
- The vacancy agency cover rate, as at 30 September, is calculated as FTE agency workers in post covering vacancies, divided by FTE vacancies.
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