Private agencies hoovering up our newly-qualified social workers should be 'banned'

ADCS President calls for clampdown on 'profiteering' and better regulation
Image by Ian Schneider showing career progression of social work graduates

Published by Professional Social Work magazine, 10 August, 2022

Private agencies who are ‘hoovering up’ newly qualified social workers should be better regulated or ‘preferably’ banned, according to Steve Crocker, President of the Association of Directors of Children’s Services.

He set out his vision of a “not-for-profit care system” where newly qualified social workers aren’t “hoovered up” into agency work in a speech at the ADCS annual conference.

Decrying the creep of privatisation and “profiteering”, Crocker set out a number of recommendations including stopping newly qualified social workers taking jobs with agencies.

Instead, social workers should begin their careers with statutory providers, so they have access to appropriate support, supervision, and reflection.

Steve Crocker said: “Graduates being drawn to agency work almost straight out of university is a relatively new phenomenon. The worry is that this could compromise on quality as access to support, supervision and reflection are critical to excellent practice.

“The long-term ambition must be a move to a not-for-profit care system. Let’s move quickly to tie an early career framework to a statutory provider, so social workers can't work for agencies in their formative six professional years.”

He urged local authorities to look at their offer to ensure they are providing for their social workers' needs, to protect against private agencies luring them away.

“As employers, we must be open to looking at our own offer to ensure it reflects the wants and needs of our workforce. A stable workforce is ultimately better for the children and families we work with.

“It can't be right that private social work agencies are contacting our social workers, hoovering them up and then selling them back to us at twice the cost. 

“In a high stakes accountability regime, self-regulation will always be impossible so I call upon government to help us.

“The government could take swift action to address the challenges around social work agencies, we could regulate or preferably ban them. We'd save millions from the public purse immediately.”