Child and Family Social Workers: Agency Rules Statutory Guidance
Feedback updated 24 Sep 2024
We asked
This consultation invited views on draft statutory guidance for local authorities on the use of agency child and family social workers.
You said
A total of 110 responses were received. The responses were broadly supportive of the draft statutory guidance with a range of 48% to 86% of respondents agreeing that the statutory guidance across each of the agency rules contained the correct level of detail.
We did
The government’s response to the consultation is available online at: Child and family social workers: agency rules statutory guidance - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).
Listening to the feedback, we have taken the opportunity to make changes to improve drafting of the rules where there were lower levels of agreement, namely on price caps (48% agreed or strongly agreed) and notice periods (58% agreed or strongly agreed). We have also made minor changes throughout the statutory guidance to improve clarity.
New statutory guidance for local authorities on the use of agency child and family social workers was published on 12 September 2024 and will come into force on 31 October 2024. This is available online at: Child and family social workers: agency rules - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).
Overview
We are seeking views on the draft statutory guidance for local authorities on the use of agency child and family social workers.
Why your views matter
The independent review of children’s social care, published in May 2022, described the case to reduce overreliance on agency social workers in order to provide more stable relationships for children and families and reduce costs.
The Department for Education previously consulted on national rules on local authority use of agency child and family social workers. The government’s response to that consultation, published in October 2023, set out the agency rules and confirmed our commitment to introducing statutory guidance.
This new consultation invites views on the on the technical detail of the agency rules that will become statutory guidance for local authorities.
Audiences
- Bodies representing schools and local authorities
- Employers
- Social workers
- Unions and representative organisations
- Social workers
- Team managers
- Service managers
- Principle social workers
- Directors of children's services
Interests
- Social care standards and guidance
- Social workers' standards
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