Two thirds of children’s social workers want to leave current job, study finds

Working conditions for children’s social workers have worsened over the last year, with two thirds wanting to leave their current job, it has emerged. A survey of almost 2,000 (1,953) children social workers found that almost half (48 per cent) of children’s social workers said they were dissatisfied at work, compared with 43 per cent last year. Just under two thirds (62.3 per cent) said they want to leave their current job within the next 16 months, compared with 55 per cent last year. More than a third (37.6 per cent) in the 2018 survey said they are considering quitting social work. Presenteeism, which is when employees turn up to work even though they are so unwell that they should be taking sick leave, is also up among children’s social workers, from 64 per cent last year to 69 per cent in 2018.