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 2023.
Symbology
The following symbols are used in the underlying data files as follows:
c to protect confidentiality - secondary suppression may also be applied to figures to protect confidentiality
u low reliability
x data not available
z data not applicable
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 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_2023.csv
Geographic levels
Local authority; National; Regional
Time period
2017 to 2023
Content
FTE and headcount figures on:
social workers in post
starters
leavers
agency social workers in post
vacancies
caseload
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)
Working days missed due to sickness absence (year to 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.
FTE and headcount figures on characteristics of social workers in post, starters and leavers by:
age
ethnicity
gender
role
time in service
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)
leavers_FTE
Social worker leavers - FTE (year to 30 September)
leavers_FTE_percentage
Percentage of social worker leavers - FTE (year to 30 September)
leavers_headcount
Social worker leavers - headcount (year to 30 September)
leavers_headcount_percentage
Percentage of social worker leavers - headcount (year to 30 September)
starters_FTE
Social worker starters - FTE (year to 30 September)
starters_FTE_percentage
Percentage of social worker starters - FTE (year to 30 September)
starters_headcount
Social worker starters - headcount (year to 30 September)
starters_headcount_percentage
Percentage of social worker starters - headcount (year to 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).
For children and family social workers, time in service is calculated as the time in years from when the social worker started in a child and family social worker role to 30 September of the reporting year or, for leavers, the date they left a child and family social worker role at the local authority. It is a measure of the total time that a social worker has been employed continuously in any children and family social worker role at their current local authority, rather than only the time in their latest role.
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.
Age of the child and family social worker at 30 September of the reporting year.
Age of starter at 30 September of the reporting year.
Age of leaver on the date they left their post at the local authority.
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.
FTE and headcount figures on the role of social workers in post by:
age
ethnicity
gender
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
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).
Age of the child 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.
FTE and headcount figures on the cross-characteristics of social workers in post by:
age
ethnicity
gender
Variable names and descriptions
Variable names and descriptions for this file are provided below:
Variable name
Variable description
age_group
Age group
ethnicity_major
Ethnicity major
gender
Gender
inpost_fte
Social workers in post - FTE (as at 30 September)
inpost_headcount
Social 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).
Age of the child 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.
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.
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)
inpost_fte
Social workers in post - FTE (as at 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)
total_attrition_fte
Total attrition - FTE (year to 30 September)
total_attrition_rate_fte
Total attrition rate - FTE (year to 30 September)
turnover_rate_fte
Turnover rate - FTE (year to 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.