HC Deb 19 June 1989 vol 155 cc37-40W
Mr. Win Griffiths

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to overcome the national shortage of qualified social workers highlighted in the social services employment survey 1988 published by the Association of Directors of Social Services and the Local Authority Conditions of Service Advisory Board.

Mr. Mellor

I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Newham, North-West (Mr. Banks) today.

The report of the national work force survey conducted by the Local Authority Conditions of Service Advisory Board and ADSS will be given full consideration when received. The response by local authorities to our two training support programmes targeted at staff working with elderly people and those working in the field of child care, indicates that many social service departments will be enabled to increase significantly the number of their staff seconded to social work qualifying courses.

Mr. Hinchliffe

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will bring forward proposals to give financial assistance to local authorities in London to enable them to recruit social work staff;

(2) what action he is taking to deal with the nationwide shortage of 2,200 social workers identified in the recent Association of Directors of Social Services national work force survey, a copy of which he has been sent;

(3) what action he is taking to encourage people re-entering the work force to undertake professional social work training;

(4) what action he is taking to respond to the need for an additional 800 per annum social work training places identified by the Central Council for Education and Training in Social Work in its 1987–88 annual report, a copy of which has been sent to him;

(5) what initiatives he is taking to deal with the particular problems arising in the London area as a result of the inability to recruit basic grade social workers.

Mr. Mellor

I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Newham, North-West (Mr. Banks) today.

The Government and the Central Council for Education and Training in Social Work are taking a number of initiatives to improve the present system of social work qualifying training which will help to ensure that social work continues to attract suitable people of different ages and domestic circumstances and from a variety of social backgrounds.

The availability of places on social work courses is a matter which is currently being examined by the Department in connection with the Central Council for Education and Training in Social Work.

Our two training support programmes targeted at staff working with elderly people and those working in the field of child care have enabled many social services departments to increase significantly the number of their staff seconded to social work qualifying courses.

Mr. Hinchliffe

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information he has on the age structure of those employed by local authorities as basic grade social workers.

Mr. Mellor

We understand that information is contained in the report of the national work force survey conducted by the Local Authority Conditions of Service Advisory Board and the Association of Directors of Social Services. We have not yet had an opportunity to study a copy of the full report.

Mr. Tony Banks

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he has any plans to deal with the shortage of basic social work staff in London;

(2) if he has any plans to increase finance for encouraging the recruitment of social services staff in London local authorities;

(3) what information he has about the shortage of mainstream social services professionals in London local authorities; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Mellor

[holding answer 16 June 1989]: A survey of the London social services work force was carried out by the London branch of the Association of Directors of Social Services (ADSS) with the assistance of the social services inspectorate. The results were published in April 1988. A new national work force survey, conducted by the Local Authority Conditions of Service Advisory Board and ADSS was published on 12 June 1989. Officials of the Department of Health have not had the opportunity to study the full copy of the report.

We are aware of the problems faced by some local authorities in London in attracting and retaining suitably qualified staff and of the steps they, as employers, are taking to improve the position. It is of course for individual authorities to decide how much to spend on social services from within total resources available.

Financial pressures on local authority social services, such as the need to encourage recruitment of social services staff, are taken into account in setting the overall level of central Government support to local authorities. The Government are currently considering the local authority associations' report on additional financial needs for social services departments in 1990–91 in which this issue is identified. This report, along with similar reports for other local authority services, is being discussed through the normal consultation channels under the Consultative Council on Local Government Finance.