This annual release contains statistics on children and family social workers, including agency social workers, employed in local authorities in England. Each reporting year covers the period 1 October to 30 September.
The underlying data files include national, regional and local authority level information for the years 2017 to 2024.
File formats and conventions
Symbology
The following symbols are used in the underlying data files as follows:
z Data is not applicable
x Data is unavailable for unknown or other reasons
c Suppressed to protect confidential information
low Rounds to 0, but is not 0
u low reliability
Rounding
Figures for full-time equivalents (FTEs), rates, percentages, caseload and working days have been rounded to one decimal place. Therefore component parts may not sum to totals if applicable.
Headcounts and cases held are reported to the nearest whole number.
Data files
All data files associated with this release are listed below with guidance on their content. To download any of these files, please visit our data catalogue.
Data files
All data files associated with this releases are listed below with guidance on their content. To download any of these files, please visit our data catalogue.
1. Indicators (in post, starters, leavers, agency workers, vacancies, caseload and absence)
Filename
csww_indicators_2017_to_2024.csv
Geographic levels
Local authority; National; Regional
Time period
2017 to 2024
Content
FTE and headcount figures on: social workers in post; starters; leavers; agency social workers in post; vacancies; caseload; and sickness absence.
Variable names and descriptions
Variable names and descriptions for this file are provided below:
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)
FTE and headcount figures on the role of social workers in post by: sex; age; and ethnicity.
Variable names and descriptions
Variable names and descriptions for this file are provided below:
Variable name
Variable description
breakdown
Breakdown
inpost_FTE
Social workers in post - FTE (as at 30 September)
inpost_FTE_percentage
Percentage of social workers in post - FTE (as at 30 September)
inpost_headcount
Social workers in post - headcount (as at 30 September)
inpost_headcount_percentage
Percentage of social workers in post - headcount (as at 30 September)
role
Organisation role
Footnotes
Age of the children and family social worker at 30 September of the reporting year.
White comprises white British, white Irish, or any other white background.
Black or Black British comprises black Caribbean, black African, or any other black background.
Asian or Asian British comprises Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Chinese, or any other Asian background.
Mixed comprises white and black Caribbean, white and black African, white and Asian, or any other mixed background.
For certain years, there can be small differences in the totals for different characteristics. This is due to social workers with unknown characteristics being excluded from the respective totals.
These are official statistics in development.
FTE figures on the number and rate of social worker leavers due to: total attrition; full attrition; agency attrition; and movers between local authorities.
Variable names and descriptions
Variable names and descriptions for this file are provided below:
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)
leavers_fte
Social worker leavers - FTE (year to 30 September)
movers_las_fte
Movers between local authorities - FTE (year to 30 September)
movers_las_rate_fte
Movers between local authorities rate - FTE (year to 30 September)