5. Attrition (leavers) - national only
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FTE figures on the number and rate of social worker leavers due to:
- total attrition
- full attrition
- agency attrition
- movers between local authorities
Figures on the total number of social workers in post and leavers, as well as the associated turnover rate, are included from file 1 for context and comparison.
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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
- National
- Indicators
- Social workers in post - FTE (as at 30 September)
- Social worker leavers - FTE (year to 30 September)
- Turnover rate - FTE (year to 30 September)
- Time period
- 2017 to 2023
Data set preview
| time_period | time_identifier | geographic_level | country_code | country_name | inpost_fte | leavers_fte | turnover_rate_fte | total_attrition_fte | total_attrition_rate_fte | full_attrition_fte | full_attrition_rate_fte | agency_attrition_fte | agency_attrition_rate_fte | movers_las_fte | movers_las_rate_fte |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Reporting year | National | E92000001 | England | 33119.1 | 5254.6 | 15.9 | 4006.5 | 12.1 | 3070.6 | 9.3 | 935.9 | 2.8 | 1248.1 | 3.8 |
| 2022 | Reporting year | National | E92000001 | England | 31634.1 | 5421 | 17.1 | 4193.7 | 13.3 | 3128 | 9.9 | 1065.7 | 3.4 | 1227.3 | 3.9 |
| 2021 | Reporting year | National | E92000001 | England | 32502 | 4994.5 | 15.4 | 3676.7 | 11.3 | 2827.6 | 8.7 | 849.1 | 2.6 | 1317.8 | 4.1 |
| 2020 | Reporting year | National | E92000001 | England | 31852.3 | 4294.2 | 13.5 | 3004.1 | 9.4 | 2312.3 | 7.3 | 691.8 | 2.2 | 1290 | 4 |
| 2019 | Reporting year | National | E92000001 | England | 30683.8 | 4607.5 | 15 | 3224.4 | 10.5 | 2489.7 | 8.1 | 734.7 | 2.4 | 1383.1 | 4.5 |
Variables in this data set
| Variable name | Variable description |
|---|---|
| agency_attrition_fte | Agency attrition - FTE (year to 30 September) |
| agency_attrition_rate_fte | Agency attrition rate - FTE (year to 30 September) |
| full_attrition_fte | Full attrition - FTE (year to 30 September) |
| full_attrition_rate_fte | Full attrition rate - FTE (year to 30 September) |
| inpost_fte | Social workers in post - FTE (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.
- 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).
- 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 attrition rate (either agency or full) is calculated as the number of FTE children and family social workers leaving due to attrition during the year ending 30 September divided by the number of FTE children and family social workers in post at 30 September.
- The movers rate is calculated as the number of FTE children and family social workers moving to a children and family social work position in a different local authority divided by the number of FTE children and family social workers in post at 30 September.
- Movers between local authorities refers to FTE children and family social worker leavers who have moved to a children and family social work position in a different local authority in England.
- Agency attrition refers to FTE children and family social worker leavers now working as an agency children and family social worker, either in the same or a different local authority in England.
- Full attrition refers to FTE children and family social worker leavers who are not identified as a children and family social worker or agency children and family social worker within any local authority in England.
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