Social Work England looks at the state of social work
Social work roles are more important than ever to society, according to a report by Social Work England.
Collaborating with those working in social work jobs, as well as people with lived experience of social work, Social Work England has published the most comprehensive picture of social work since it became a profession in England in the 19th century.
Social work in England: state of the nation 2023 is a detailed review of the significance of social work in society and the challenges facing the sector in our modern world. When Social Work England began regulating social workers, the organisation made a commitment to share its learning about the social work profession in England. Bringing together data, research and personal testimony, the state of the nation report is a reflection on that learning experience over the first three years of regulation.
Here are some of the key findings in the report:
How the social work demographics are changing
In November 2022, there were 100,654 registered social workers in England, a drop of 1,463 on the previous year. In the three years since Social Work England came into existence, applications from overseas social workers have increased by over 175%.
For the first time ever, diversity data has been collected from over 94% of the social care workforce. In terms of ethnicity, gender identity and sexual orientation, the data shows that those in social work jobs are significantly more diverse than the general population in England and Wales. However, when it comes to religious beliefs and disability, the workforce is similar to the wider population.
The biggest challenges facing the social work profession
With unprecedented demands on the social care workforce, recruitment and retention of social workers are now major challenges for the sector. At the same time, issues associated with the COVID-19 pandemic and the cost of living crisis have resulted in more social work referrals and greater pressure on the system.
Education and training of social workers
The report sets out some of Social Work England’s learning from inspecting and approving social work training programmes. This includes the quality of teaching and practice-based learning, and how students are equipped with the knowledge, skills, behaviours and values to be ready for professional practice.
There are over 300 higher education courses available for social work students. However, Social Work England believes that there needs to be a new approach to ensure consistent, high quality and inclusive experiences. The report says that social work should reflect the communities within which it works, and that this is only possible when the prospect of becoming a social worker appeals to people from a broad range of backgrounds, and when routes into social work are affordable and accessible.
“This important report enables us to share some of our key learning with everyone with an interest in social work, including those with lived and learned experience of social work,” writes Social Work England Chief Executive Colum Conway in his foreword to the report. “We hope that it starts conversations, enhances collaboration, leads to action to continuously improve standards and ultimately helps to create a stronger social work system in England.”
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