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Social Workers: Recruitment

Asked by Sally JamesonLabour (Co-op)Department of Health and Social CareTabled Answered 11 March 2025UIN 33255

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to improve the recruitment and retention of social workers; and what plans he has for a national social work recruitment campaign.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock

We support the supply of social workers with the right skills, knowledge, and values to support vulnerable adults, children and families. We currently fund the Social Work Bursary, Education Support Grant and the mental health graduate programme Think Ahead to support the recruitment of social workers and the Assessed Year in Employment to support retention of newly qualified social workers.

There are presently no plans for a national social worker specific recruitment campaign. However, the Local Government Association, SOLACE, regional employers organisations, and councils across the country launched the ‘Make a Difference, Work for your Local Council’ campaign and Social Work England runs the ‘Change the Script’ campaign, which support recruitment and retention of social workers.

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