What do child protection social workers consider to be the systemic factors driving workforce instability within the English child protection system, and what are the implications for the UK Government's reform strategy?
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| Title: | What do child protection social workers consider to be the systemic factors driving workforce instability within the English child protection system, and what are the implications for the UK Government's reform strategy? |
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| Authors: | Murphy, Ciarán, Turay, Jennifer, Parry, Nicole, Birch, Nicola |
| Source: | Journal of Social Work Practice. Jun2024, Vol. 38 Issue 2, p205-220. 16p. |
| Subjects: | Occupational disease risk factors, Child welfare, Risk assessment, Criticism, Social workers, Research funding, Professional practice, Focus groups, Labor turnover, Social services, Interviewing, Questionnaires, Social worker attitudes, Strategic planning, Wages, Internet, Descriptive statistics, Experience, Labor market, Health care reform, Longitudinal method, Pediatrics, Thematic analysis, Research methodology, Medical coding, Public administration, Grounded theory, Labor supply, Employees' workload |
| Geographic Terms: | United Kingdom, England |
| Abstract: | In 2023, the UK Government published its long-awaited reform strategy for England's children's social care system. Whilst the strategy set out planned reforms for several aspects of the wider system, an area requiring particular 'priority' was the purported workforce instability seen within child protection social work. However, the strategy has subsequently faced criticism on the basis that the suggested reforms were not satisfactorily informed by the testimonies of practicing social workers. This paper draws from a mixed-method study to report on the lived experiences of a sample of 201 child protection social workers practicing across England, in the context of better understanding the factors which they believed were impacting on workforce stability within England's child protection system. Implications that emerge are the need for an increase in the monetary commitment offered by the UK Government (especially in the context of tackling high caseloads, and improving local authority pay scales to reduce the allure of agency work); a targeted emphasis on challenging local cultures preoccupied with evidencing compliance over time spent with children; and the Government taking a more assertive role in tackling the often-counterproductive commentary perpetuated by politicians and media. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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| Database: | Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection |
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| Abstract: | In 2023, the UK Government published its long-awaited reform strategy for England's children's social care system. Whilst the strategy set out planned reforms for several aspects of the wider system, an area requiring particular 'priority' was the purported workforce instability seen within child protection social work. However, the strategy has subsequently faced criticism on the basis that the suggested reforms were not satisfactorily informed by the testimonies of practicing social workers. This paper draws from a mixed-method study to report on the lived experiences of a sample of 201 child protection social workers practicing across England, in the context of better understanding the factors which they believed were impacting on workforce stability within England's child protection system. Implications that emerge are the need for an increase in the monetary commitment offered by the UK Government (especially in the context of tackling high caseloads, and improving local authority pay scales to reduce the allure of agency work); a targeted emphasis on challenging local cultures preoccupied with evidencing compliance over time spent with children; and the Government taking a more assertive role in tackling the often-counterproductive commentary perpetuated by politicians and media. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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| ISSN: | 02650533 |
| DOI: | 10.1080/02650533.2024.2334450 |
