Investment in new recruits pays off for social services

New
efforts to end the capacity crisis in social services have resulted in a 3.4
per cent fall in the vacancy rate in local authorities.

According
to a survey by the Employers Organisation for Local Government, councils spent
£11m last year on training social workers, an increase of 159 per cent on the
previous year.

The
extra expenditure has resulted in a 68 per cent rise in students who study
social work, with the number who qualify doubling.

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Vic
Citarella, consultant at the Local Government Association, said: "While we
are pleased that local authorities are upping their investment in social work
education, it is of concern that funding shortfalls were apparently causing
them to redirect cash from other training rather than increase overall investment."

By Michael Millar