Social worker shortage prompts pay kick

Wiltshire Council is to offer improved rates of pay to some social workers in an attempt to overcome a recruitment crisis.

There is currently a shortage of experienced social workers, but a glut of newly qualified ones. A quarter of recently qualified social workers are unemployed. So although WC finds it easy to recruit to lower level posts, it can't find enough managers and team leaders.

The council will therefore pay a supplement of up to 15% to encourage recruitment to those posts. The additional cost will be about £400.000 per year, though this could be offset by reductions in the use of expensive agency staff.

The payments will be confirmed by the WC 'cabinet' at its meeting next Tuesday (July 22nd).

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