§ Adam PriceTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of those working in social services hold a listed qualification in(a) the UK and (b) each region. [23976]
§ Jacqui SmithIn England we have not been collecting data about the qualifications of all social services staff on a regular basis. There is an annual social services work force analysis report which has been considering the work force in local councils only.
The information about staff qualifications in this report has varied from year to year, looking at staff dealing with different client groups each year. The latest published report is for 1999, the report for 2000 will be published in January 2002. A copy of the 1999 report can 644W be found on the Employers Organisation website at: http://www.1g-employers.gov.uk/documents/esru/sswmain99.pdf.
The report contains the following data about qualifications:
Description of work undertaken Percentage of staff with a qualification Occupational Therapists 98 Community Workers 38 Day centres Mainly for Elderly People and Elderly Mentally Infirm People1 39 Mainly for People under 65 with Physical Disabilities1 41 Mainly for Adults with Learning Disabilities1 35 Mixed Client Groups1 31 Community Homes for Children Looked After1 37 1 The percentage relates to all care staff that are working in that day centre/home Data about the social care work force in the independent and voluntary sectors have been obtained through "ad-hoc" surveys which have concentrated on particular client group areas. However, from this year data will be collected from social care employers in the independent sector as part of the annual social services work force analysis report.
Information relating to Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland are matters for the devolved Assemblies.