Children’s department looks to recruit dozens for permanent vacancies

A total of 89 experienced social workers are being sought to take over from agency staff in Northamptonshire’s children’s department.

The department employed large numbers of agency staff to help meet high caseloads but cost-cutting measures mean the council is looking to employ its own staff.

With permanent staff cost about £3,000 a month compared with £5,000 a month for an agency worker, the council hopes to to trim the £5.7 million it spends on agency workers.

Alex Hopkins, director of children’s services, said a new recruitment campaign, targetting staff who can “hit the ground running”, was not prompted only by finances.

He said: “The main driver is about commitment to the county. What we really need is social workers who are committed to the council and who can become part of the overall improvement that is going on.”

The children’s department hope to attract 60 social workers and 25 senior social workers, as well as some managers on a full time basis.

Some will be current agency staff who are willing to convert, but others will be from other counties.

Mr Hopkins said: “Our pay rates have been revised and they are now very, very competitive.

“People don’t normally offer relocation for frontline social workers, we have put that in to make it easier. But the third thing is that there’s a big professional challenege. Most people don’t go into socoial work for an easy life, they go into it to keep children safe.

“I think appealing to that professional desire to make a difference is a real biggy. I think pay and things is actually secondary.”