PAPER B1

Committee: SOCIAL SERVICES, HOUSING AND BENEFITS SELECT COMMITTEE

Date: 15 OCTOBER 2002

Title: RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION OF CHILD CARE SOCIAL WORK STAFF

REPORT OF THE STRATEGIC DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL SERVICES AND HOUSING

1. SUMMARY/PURPOSE

To inform Members of the conclusions and proposals reached by the Recruitment & Retention Task Group established by the Social Services, Housing and Benefits Select Committee in December 2001.

2. BACKGROUND

A report was presented to the Social Services, Housing and Benefits Select Committee in December 2001, which identified that there was an urgent need to address the recruitment and retention difficulties being encountered in Children’s Services. It was agreed to establish an Officer and Member Task Group to consider the issues and report back to Committee in due course.

The Task Group commenced work in February 2002 and has convened on a monthly basis since then. Member representation has included the Portfolio Holder for Social Services & Housing together with the Chair, Vice-Chair and an additional Member of the Social Services & Housing Select Committee. Officer representation has included senior officers and staff together with Personnel Services input.

The work of the Task Group has focused on the issues identified in the original Select Committee report in December 2001. Account has also been taken of the Community Care Employment Survey 2001 in relation to national findings in terms of recruitment difficulties and their relevance to the situation on the Island.

3. OUTCOME OF DELIBERATIONS

It has been recognized that whilst the focus of the Task Group has been on the recruitment and retention difficulties in Children’s Services, there may be wider corporate implications, which will need to be taken account of in due course. The Task Group has concluded that it remains essential to develop an appropriate strategy to address the specific recruitment and retention difficulties in Children’s Services and in order to maintain effective local services.

A number of key principles are seen as important in underpinning such a strategy:

· Valuing staff as a significant resource within the Authority

· Having a clear and flexible approach to recruitment

· Developing a diverse and representative workforce

· Promoting and improving the image of the Authority

· Reviewing and monitoring the recruitment/retention package

· Supporting training and ‘growing our own’ social work staff

· A strong focus on retention

In the currently competitive recruitment environment, with fewer staff competing for a wide range of posts within the region, a positive perception of the Authority’s ability to ‘value’ their staff will be significant.

The National Employment Survey conducted by Community Care indicates that potential applicants need to feel that a job is challenging but also that prospective employees will be valued. Applicants will be encouraged to seek employment in an authority where salary scales are competitive and potential is developed through effective support, supervision and training opportunities.

Advice from Community Care suggests that there is an advantage in developing a distinctive corporate advertising format, which can be recognized, and which promotes what the Authority has to offer prospective employees and which Directorates can adapt. However, this approach also needs to be flexible to adapt to changing market conditions and to match incentives, which may be effective.

There is increasing evidence of authorities relying on workers from overseas to fill vacancies. Whilst continuing to seek to recruit permanent staff, the Directorate has been working towards the recruitment of two overseas workers for Children’s Services, for up to two years, on an experimental basis. Whilst mainland authorities can take advantage of staff recruitment agencies, agency staff are generally reluctant to travel to the Island.

Developing a positive image of the Authority and the Directorate is important in terms of sustaining recruitment. Community Care research indicates that a positive Star Rating has become important together with the overall recruitment and retention package. Whilst lifestyle opportunities should be identified in terms of the Island location, prospective employees will see the overall package as pertinent in making an application and deciding to come and work here. There is scope to enlist more robust help from our advertising agency in promoting this image in the future.

It is likely to be important to maintain an informed oversight of the effect of any recruitment and retention strategy and to be equipped to respond speedily in adjusting the focus or benefits on offer in the light of changing market conditions.

The Task Group viewed the need to retain current staff and develop their potential to take advantage of career opportunities within the authority as an important focus of any strategy and would promote continued capability and capacity within the service.

4. RECRUITMENT ISSUES

Children’s Services has experienced ongoing difficulty in attracting applications from social workers and experienced child care management candidates over the past two years. It is also the case that staff retention has been affected by more attractive opportunities outside the authority or on the mainland.

Vacancy levels in some child care teams have fluctuated between 20% and 40% during the two year period. At the present time there is a vacancy level of 22% across the 53 child care social work practitioner grades.

National recruitment campaigns in January and June 2002 failed to attract a range of practitioner applications from either experienced or newly qualified applicants. Whilst there has been a slightly better response at Team Manager level, no external applications were received in respect of a Service Manager post which was advertised on two occasions.

Suitable internal candidates have been recruited and promoted to a range of posts, but there remains a pressing need to attract external interest for posts at all levels within Children’s Services in sustaining service effectiveness and reducing demands on existing staff.

Failure to address this ongoing problem will impact on our capacity to fulfill our statutory responsibilities to children in need and their families. Pressures on staff undertaking demanding work with some of our most disadvantaged children will increase and may contribute to increased stress related sickness absence.

The Task Group identified a range of options to address the recruitment/retention issue. It was concluded however, that the need to achieve a more competitive remuneration package was an essential component of any strategy. Account was taken of the 2001 Social Services Workforce survey of local authorities. Table 1 (attached as Appendix A) illustrates the fact that the Isle of Wight salary range is second lowest in the group of authorities surveyed. Complementary work undertaken by Personnel Services confirms that the Island has fallen behind other authorities in the region.

5. PROPOSALS

The Task Group has concluded that a number of key areas should feature in proposals to the Select Committee. These include:

(1) The need to revise salary grades both as a means of recruiting but also retaining existing staff. This could be addressed by means of a ‘market supplement’, which could be reviewed in the light of changing conditions.

It is proposed that a supplement of £1200 be introduced to address the situation. Such an approach would reflect current national and market trends and enhance the authority’s position in advertising posts.

(2) Institute post qualifying award recognition for children’s services staff that successfully complete national awards which enhance their effectiveness as practitioners.

(3) Establish a bursary scheme for final year students, who wish to practice in Children’s Services, through local universities. Such a scheme would need to be developed in conjunction with The Improvement & Development Service and would have the added benefit of promoting the authority within the training environment.

(4) Consider revising the starting salary from level 1 to level 2 for newly qualified children’s services social workers. A large range of authorities appoint newly qualified staff on Level 2 Grade and the current starting salary is therefore uncompetitive.

(5) Continue to Increase secondment options for unqualified non social work staff who may wish to undertake professional training. The Directorate doubled the number of staff assisted to undertake professional training in the current year. This is seen as a successful means of ‘growing our own’ and creating opportunities for suitable staff within the Island workforce.

(6) Consider increasing the re-location allowance to £8,000 for new staff moving to the Island. The existing re-location allowance has not been reviewed for a period of years and does not adequately reflect increased costs associated with house removal.

(7) Identify temporary accommodation options to assist staff moving to the Island and to provide a base for potential agency staff who may be employed on fixed term contracts.

These proposals have potentially significant financial implications. which, subject to Member approval, would form the basis of a growth bid in the forthcoming budget cycle.

6 FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

Estimates for a flat rate market supplement of £1200 to be paid to Children’s Services staff would indicate a budget commitment of £94,740. This increase in salary levels reflects current national/regional rates and would be a significant factor in re-dressing our recruitment shortfall. An increase in costs of this magnitude would need to be addressed through a growth bid in the forthcoming budget negotiations which will need to be considered against the competing financial priorities for 2003/04.

Other proposals identified by the Task Group can be addressed in a phased manner within the existing budget. The proposed market supplement is viewed as the most significant proposal in beginning to address difficulties faced by the service.

RECOMMENDATIONS

That the Select Committee

(i) endorse the proposals and to view the proposal for a market supplement as a priority in the forthcoming budget discussions in respect of 2003/04

(ii) invite the Task Group to continue with a view to monitoring the position and progressing the Recruitment & Retention strategy.

8 BACKGROUND PAPERS

Recruitment & Retention of Child Care Social Workers

Select Committee Report 20 December 2001

Contact Point: Jimmy Doyle, ( 520600

C WADDICOR

Strategic Director of Social Services and Housing