CARE workers are leaving ‘secure’ jobs within the local authority in favour of making more money by working for private agencies, bosses have said.

It has been claimed that unmanageable caseloads and deteriorating working conditions have led to thousands of child and family social workers across England quitting their jobs.

And while almost two dozen people holding such a position have left their jobs within Blackburn with Darwen council over the last year, bosses at the authority say the main reason for that is their inability to compete with private agencies.

Councillor Julie Gunn, Executive Member for Children, Young People and Education said: “One of the difficulties we face is that we are in competition with private agencies that can offer social workers higher rates of pay, although they may not provide the same level of job security and the support that our social workers tell us that they value so highly.

“This has been seen in the reduction of turnover rates in Blackburn with Darwen. That in turn has a positive impact on the relationships that social workers can build with children and young people.

“Most importantly this should help ensure a more positive experience for our children. So I would call on the government to address this as a matter of urgency. As a start government could consider a cap on the rates of pay agencies can offer so that local authorities have a level playing field”

Department for Education data for the local authority shows that 22 full-time employees left their jobs in the year to September, among 124 to have done so since 2017.

The figures show that 14 of those who left last year had been in their roles for fewer than five years, and six for under two years.

Across England, the total number of social workers rose by 2 per cent, to 32,500, in the year to September but 5,000 social workers assigned to support children and families left during that period: the highest number in five years and a rise of 16 per cent on the year before.

More than two-thirds of them had been in their role for under five years.

Jayne Ivory, Strategic Director for Children and Education at the council, said: “We continue to invest in our workforce and have seen a significant reduction in turnover over the last four years.

“Social work is a challenging but rewarding profession, and we are really proud of the difference our social workers make in helping and protecting children in Blackburn with Darwen. Strong multi-agency partnerships with the likes of the NHS and Police exist, with all partners working with the best interests of local children and families at heart.

"Whilst the government has invested in fast-track approaches to social work training there needs to be more done at a national level to support, recruit and retain excellent social workers”.

There were more than 6,500 vacancies counted last September nationally – with nine advertised in Blackburn with Darwen, down from 18 in September 2020.

At 15.4 per cent, the national turn-over rate was also the highest recorded since 2017, with the rate in Blackburn with Darwen standing at 16.5 per cent, down from 19 per cent recorded the year before.

There were 26 new starters last year, bringing the number of full-time child and family social workers to 133 – higher than the 115 recorded five years previously.

The figures are not limited to those leaving the profession entirely and may reflect social workers moving between different local authorities or into different fields of social work.

A DfE spokeswoman said there were more social workers in the profession than ever and said the Government helped local authorities retain and recruit social workers by funding fast track training and professional support.