Meeting the needs of communities
Standard 2: Effective workforce planning
Effective workforce planning systems
This is a series of tools and resources designed to guide improvements and support positive organisational development against this employer standard.
From 31 October 2024, statutory guidance for local authorities on the use of agency child and family social workers came into effect in England. Tools and resources are available to support the implementation of the statutory guidance.
Meeting the needs of communities
Strategic workforce planning requires both a long-term vision and the flexibility to handle short-term changes in demand.
To understand local workforce needs, you need high-quality data. A coordinated approach at the national level is essential for analysing population changes and demographic needs. Managing current needs is critical as this will help you anticipate:
- demographic and workforce shifts in people needing social care
- the proportion of current employees nearing retirement
Be aware of national policy on addressing poverty and promoting community inclusivity as these will also affect workforce requirements.
Policies promoting integrated care models require an approach to workforce planning that supports collaboration across sectors.
References
Johnson, C., Coburn, S., Sanders-Earley, A., & et al. (2019). Longitudinal study of local authority child and family social workers (wave 1). London: Department of Education.
Skills for Care. (2023). Headline social worker information: Social workers employed by local authorities in the adult social care sector. Leeds: Workforce Intelligence Unit.
Next page: Workforce planning roadmap
The resources have been developed by
Research in Practice
in collaboration with
DfE.
Published: 30 October 2024
Last updated: 27 February 2025
Published: 30 October 2024
Last updated: 27 February 2025