вЂњWe know what is needed to secure the very best outcomes for children and families вЂ“ we need enough high-quality social workers to support children and families who need it and we need enough funding from national government to invest in the workforce,вЂќ he said.

However, he added вЂњthe need for help and support is increasingвЂќ in communities and вЂњour focus must also remain on maintaining strong, consistent relationships with our children and familiesвЂќ.

Responding to the unionвЂ™s research, Association of Directors of ChildrenвЂ™s Services president Steve Crocker said: вЂњWe know that many people in the workforce who are unable to work full-time are keen to remain in the profession and it is important we can accommodate for them where possible.вЂќ The latest wave of the Department for EducationвЂ™s longitudinal survey of childrenвЂ™s social workers in local authorities found less than a quarter (23%) of people were on part-time contracts, and that this wasВ more prevalent among women, those with caring responsibilities and older social workers.Дeb Solomon, a social worker from Derbyshire pointed out that neurodivergent staff вЂњcan really benefit from part-time workingвЂќ, adding that the current situation is failing to take вЂњadvantage of the skills and creativity the neurodivergent workforce bringвЂќ. This needs to change to ensure part-time opportunities are encouraged and supported.вЂќ

The union also highlighted the potentially adverse impact on inequality by the lack of part-time opportunities.Д¬arys Phillips, a social worker and chair of the Social Workers Union, said: вЂњSocial work remains a female majority but male-led professionвЂ¦The opportunity for career development is often stalled with assumptions that part-time equals career abandonment and oftentimes this means career stagnation. She added that employers need to вЂњensure people like me arenвЂ™t lost to the profession foreverвЂќ. вЂњEven when roles say вЂfull-time preferred, but part-time may be consideredвЂ™, when I contact the manager responsible the reality is they want someone full-time,вЂќ she said. She had planned to return part-time but remained out of work вЂњdespite devoting much of my spare time and energy searching for a part-time roleвЂќ. One social worker, from north-west England, said she was forced to abandon full-time work at the start of the pandemic to care for a close family member. The union said that some roles will have been repeated across the sites, and the two dates, examined. The proportion was even lower (15%) in Wales, which accounted for 9% of the jobs. Most of the adverts (87%) were for roles in England, of which 19% included the offer of part-time or flexible hours. Union general secretary John McGowan added: вЂњWe often hear about staffing shortages in social work, but part of the solution is staring employers in the face: offer more part-time or flexible roles.вЂќ She said employers needed to вЂњwake upвЂќ, as they were вЂњmissing out on expert and committed staff due to their failure to offer part-time postsвЂќ.

Of 6,471 UK social work job adverts posted on websites including Community Care on 20 April and 20 May, just 1,212 (19%) offered part-time or flexible hours, found the Social Workers Union study.ДЄt a time of mounting vacancies and turnover across both statutory childrenвЂ™s and adultsвЂ™ services in England, a drop in the number of adultsвЂ™ practitioners employed, and the need to recruit more to implement the forthcoming social care funding reforms,В the union said the situation risked exacerbating staff shortages.Д¬arol Reid, the unionвЂ™s national organiser, said many social workers were unable to work for more than two or three days per week вЂњby necessity rather than choiceвЂќ due to their other commitments. Employers are failing to advertise part-time roles to social workers, shutting many expert practitioners out of the labour force, according to new research.

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