Social Work Workforce in England Research 2023 (1.88 MiB)
At Social Work England, we are committed to continuously learning more about social work and why it has a vital role in society. As part of this, we will gather data and intelligence about the social work profession and people’s experiences of this to inform our activities as the specialist regulator of social work in England. In 2023 we commissioned YouGov to help us better understand the social work workforce. This research looks at how social workers move around the profession, the impact vacancies have on the existing workforce, and how workplace culture impacts on the ability to recruit and retain staff.
Public Perceptions of the Social Work Profession (1.53 MiB)
In 2023, Social Work England commissioned YouGov to investigate how people in England feel about the social work profession. We wanted to know more about whether they understand, and have confidence in, what social workers do, as well as how they feel about the regulation of social work by Social Work England. The report led to our national campaign 'Change the Script'.
Social Work England's Corporate Strategy 2023 to 2026 (0.8 MiB)
In December 2019, Social Work England became the specialist regulator of social workers in England. Our purpose is to protect the public and raise standards across social work in England, so that people receive the best possible support whenever they might need it in life. Our second corporate strategy sets out our 3 year ambitions for the period 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2026. It builds on the platform we have created in our first 3 years, detailing how we plan to grow our ambitions and drive even more positive impact. In developing this strategy we have reflected on what we have learned and the successes and challenges of our first 3 years.
Social Work England's ‘Change the Script’ campaign aims to raise awareness of the consequences that negative depictions of social workers have on society.
According to research, just 10% of social workers believe their role is well-respected in society, even though 74% of adults believe that social workers want the best for the people they work with.
Negative representations of social work in the media directly impact public perceptions of social work, as well as how social workers view themselves. This is contributing to recruitment and retention challenges in the profession.