Government 'steps up recruitment campaign' for social services
08-05-2009
Following the death of Baby P, the government is stepping up its recruitment drive in the social services sector.
Children's secretary Ed Balls announced £58 million of funding and a new campaign which hopes to encourage 500 former workers back into the profession.
Furthermore, 200 university places will be sponsored by the government and on-the-job training be improved in an attempt to attract more young people.
Kate Bleasedale, vice chairman of Healthcare Locums, welcomed the move but told Recruiter her concern "is that it may not be enough to address the current crisis in which 30 per cent of social work posts in the UK are unfilled".
Head of sales at Synergy Group Ari Sengupta agreed, saying that "skills shortage in this sector is at its critical point".
In March of this year, the Local Government Association released a report entitled Respect and Protect, which revealed that one in ten social worker positions is vacant at any one time.
Digg 
Delicious 
Reddit 
StumbleUpon 
Google 
Technorati 
Netvouz