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Overview

Standard 2: Effective workforce planning systems

Effective workforce planning systems

This standard calls for employers to establish effective workforce planning systems. This will ensure there's an appropriate number of social workers with the right skills to meet demand. Employers should: 


  • ensure that social workers have manageable workloads
  • implement a workforce strategy that encourages diversity
  • anticipate future service demands based on local demographics

When creating your workforce planning systems you should:


  • take action to respond to the recruitment shortage in child and family social work
  • use long-term strategic planning when planning workforce systems
  • encourage practitioners to have a healthy work-life balance and offer flexible work patterns
  • use innovative practices to recruit a talented workforce
  • accommodate diverse needs and recognise the importance of flexible working arrangements
  • involve practitioners in planning initiatives

Read the full details of Employer standard 2 on the Local Government Association website

Meeting professional standards for social workers

It is crucial when you develop a skilled workforce that you support newly qualified social workers. Use the Assessed and Supported Year to guide a development programme for social workers in adult social work. The upcoming Early Career Framework can inform the creation of development programmes in children's services for new social workers.


Providing professional development and learning opportunities is important. You should ensure that the professional development you offer aligns with the post-qualifying standards for child and family social workers.

Importance of a stable workforce

The Independent Review of Children’s Social Care sets out the importance of the critical role of a skilled workforce. They are important to providing high-quality support for children and families. This Ofsted consultation highlights the importance of a stable workforce.

Workforce planning

Various tools are available to assess and plan workforce needs. Skills for Health offers a six-step workforce planning method. Skills for Care has developed a resource to assist operational workforce planning in adult social care. Social Care Wales has created a 2022-2025 social work workforce plan.

References

This is the list of research and evidence sources used to produce this section. Publicly available links are included. 

Department for Education. (2023). Child and family social worker workforce government consultation response.  

Department of Health and Social Care. (2018). Post-qualifying standards for social work practice supervisors in adult social care. 

MacAlister, J. (2022). The independent review of children’s social care: Final report.  

Ofsted. (2023). Ofsted’s response to the child and family social worker workforce consultation.  

Skills for Care. (2021). Practical approaches to operational workforce planning: A guide for adult social care providers 

Skills for Health. (n.d.). Six steps methodology to integrated workforce planning.  

Social Care Wales. (2022). Social work workforce plan: 2022 to 2025.

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The resources have been developed by Research in Practice in collaboration with DfE.
Published: 30 October 2024
Last updated: 30 October 2024