Number of agency social workers soars by 43.5pc as 'burnt out' staff leave

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

The cost of hiring agency staff to cover vacancies left by "burnt out" adult and child social workers in Trafford has risen by a staggering 43.5 per cent to nearly £6.2million. Figures for the 2021/2022 year show the cost of hiring agency staff - who get paid more than local authority social workers - went up by almost £1.9million.

That compares to the previous year's spend of £4.3million agency staff and consultants, councillors on Trafford's Employment Committee were told. Corporate director of adult social services and wellbeing Diane Eaton described the period as "another extremely challenging year".

The committee heard how the authority is fighting a losing battle retaining existing staff amid growing demand across the country. This is as stressed out local authority social workers opt for higher pay, less responsibility and more flexible hours in the private sector.

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Councillor David Acton said: "It's the care area that are the main issues with our budgets and it's very difficult for us to compete [with agencies]. "We've been trying to tackle this for as long as I can remember. There's growing demand right across the country. I despair, really."

Chair of the committee, Coun Joanne Bennett, agreed saying: "I think despair is the right word. The need for care is growing as people get poorer and desperate they are going to need it even more.

"We can't say that that it's too much for us and we're not doing this anymore. We really are between a rock and a hard place." And she said she "totally understood" that in areas like child protection staff are having a "really hard time" and "they don't want to do it anymore."

However,