A year long research study looking at the recruitment and retention of social workers has given an insight into the challenges facing adult social care in local councils.
The research was carried out by Professor Lee-Ann Fenge and Dr Andy Pulman based at Bournemouth University and was part of a larger programme looking to incorporate research into social work and councils in Wessex.
The Bournemouth University project interviewed more than 130 people, ranging from Social Care practitioners (Registered and unregistered Social workers, Allied Health Professionals), social care staff, Social work students and service-users and advocates.
Results show - among other findings, that:
Social workers enjoyed flexible working and working with people in need, but found that hybrid working, stress and burnout affected their work.
Social Care students felt acute financial pressures and when placed in councils found supervising Social workers changed frequently with one having had 8 managers in one year.
Service users felt that they no longer had a dedicated social worker, seeing different people and having little continuity of care. They also mentioned a lack of money in the system leading to less frequent contact and that out of hours services are overstretched.
Advocates said that their caseloads were increasing and getting more complex and that service users reach a crisis point due to lack of interventions.
The findings are detailed here in full
Comments