Podcast: Navigating the challenges of children’s services recruitment in the UK
This episode is specifically centred around the Children’s Services Omnibus Wave 6 Research Report, which was released by the Education Department in December 2022. This report discusses key issues pertinent to children’s social care, early years and childcare provision, and services for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). The Children’s Services Omnibus Wave 6 Research Report surveyed 152 local authorities (LAs) in England, with 52 participating, yielding a response rate of 34%. One of the key findings of the report was that the top priorities for LAs in improving children’s social care services were recruiting high-quality staff (80%), retaining high-quality staff (62%), and ensuring a sufficient budget for maintaining/improving services (60%). The main risks for effective delivery of children’s social care services included the inability to recruit high-quality staff (84%), inability to retain high-quality staff (70%), and variable social work practices (26%).
Our guest, Andrew Moss, Business Manager from Durham County Council, discusses the intricacies of finding and retaining top talent in the children’s services sector, as well as innovative approaches or initiatives implemented to address recruitment challenges and improve staff retention to create a sustainable workforce in the sector. This unique perspective from someone within the industry adds a compelling dimension to the podcast.
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