Reporting year 2025

Children's social work workforce

Annual statistics on child and family social workers, including agency social workers, employed in local authorities in England.

Release type
Published

Get help by contacting us

If you have a specific enquiry about Children's social work workforce statistics and data:

Children’s Services Statistics Team

Email: csww.stats@education.gov.uk
Contact name: Andy Brook

Press office

If you have a media enquiry:

Telephone: 020 7783 8300

Public enquiries

If you have a general enquiry about the Department for Education (DfE) or education:

Phone: 0370 000 2288

Opening times

Monday to Friday from 9.30am to 5.30pm (closed on bank holidays)


Official statistics

These are Official Statistics and have been produced in line with the Code of Practice for Official Statistics (opens in new tab).

This can be broadly interpreted to mean that these statistics are:

  • managed impartially and objectively in the public interest
  • meet identified user needs
  • produced according to sound methods
  • well explained and readily accessible

Find out more about the standards we follow to produce these statistics through our Standards for official statistics published by DfE guidance (opens in new tab).

Our statistical practice is regulated by the Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR).

OSR sets the standards of trustworthiness, quality and value in the Code of Practice for Statistics (opens in new tab) that all producers of official statistics should adhere to.

You are welcome to contact us directly with any comments about how we meet these standards. Alternatively, you can contact OSR by emailing regulation@statistics.gov.uk or via the OSR website (opens in new tab).


Pre-release access list

Besides Department for Education (DfE) professional and production staff, the following post holders were given pre-release access up to 24 hours before release.

  • Secretary of State for Education
  • Minister for Children and Families
  • Minister for Skills
  • Special Adviser (5)
  • Permanent Secretary
  • Director General, Strategy
  • Director General, Families
  • Chief Social Worker for Children and Families
  • Director, Children's Social Care - Safeguarding and Workforce
  • Deputy Director, Children's Social Worker Training, Development and Leadership
  • Assistant Director, Social Work Supply
  • Assistant Director, Early Career Support
  • Assistant Director, Social Work Career Development and Retention
  • Assistant Director, Social Work Strategy, Governance and Regulation
  • Assistant Director, Family Help Workforce
  • Chief Analyst and Director, Strategic Analysis, Research, Data, Insight & Science
  • Deputy Head of Profession for Statistics and Section Head, Statistics Services Unit 
  • Section Head, Children’s Social Care Analysis and Research
  • Deputy Director, News and Social Media 
  • Chief Media Officer
  • Senior Media Officer
  • Head of Social Media Content
  • Social Media Officer