Golden hello payments offered to Doncaster Council social workers

Doncaster Council is offering social work team managers extra bonuses of up to £6,000 for working in its troubled children’s services department.

The council is attracting social workers, particularly managers, to the town with the one-off payments.

Team managers, who earn £40,982 – £43,615, get a £2,000 golden hello for joining, a further £2,000 ‘golden handcuff’ payment after 12 months, and a third £2,000 payment after two years.

Standard social workers get a £2,000 pay out after 12 months.

Eleanor Brazil, Director of the Children and Young People’s Services, said it’s all about attracting experienced social workers to Doncaster.

She added: “There is a national shortage of skilled professionals in this field and we are competing against other local authorities and agencies. This is why Doncaster, like many other councils, is offering market supplements to social workers who join the team.

“Attracting a permanent workforce in children’s social care is more cost effective than using agency staff. It will also benefit children and young people themselves as they will have a consistent case worker. We have already recruited a number of children’s social workers this year who are keen to be part of our improvement process in Doncaster.”

Doncaster Council’s children’s services department is trying to get rid of its poor reputation after it was taken over by the government four years ago following the deaths of seven children through abuse or neglect over a five-year period.