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Local government pay deal agreed following strike ballots

Community Care

This year’s local government pay deal has been agreed after the biggest union failed to gain a sufficient mandate to take effective strike action. The settlement is worth 3-4% for social workers, similar to the deal received by practitioners in Scotland, and above the rate of inflation in the UK, which has ranged between 1.7%

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Unions lodge local government pay claim for 2025-26

Community Care

Unions have lodged their pay claim for local government and school support staff in England, Wales and Northern Ireland for 2025-26. Less generous pay deal for council staff This was worth 3-4% for most social workers, significantly less than the 5.5% Meanwhile, the government has budgeted for pay increases of 2.8%

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Share Clear Messaging During Birth Defect Awareness Month to Help Prevent Lifelong Effects

Social Work Blog

January is Birth Defects Awareness Month, a call to action for social workers to share a key message: for a healthy pregnancy, it is safest to avoid alcohol, smoking, and other recreational drugs. Government. Substance use during pregnancy can lead to poor outcomes.

Disorder 126
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Record numbers of children’s social workers in post but fewer holding cases, figures reveal

Community Care

Record numbers of children’s social workers are in post in England but there has been a fall in the number holding cases, Department for Education (DfE) figures have revealed. The proportion of FTE agency social workers in the workforce also fell, from 17.9% to 34,328.2, to 34,328.2, However, at 5,613.4 in 2022-23.

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Placing social workers in mental health trusts can help tackle out of area placements, says report

Community Care

Integrating local authority social workers within NHS mental health trusts can help reduce the number of “harmful” out of area hospital placements (OAPs), a report has found. This had had the unintended consequence of social workers who lacked mental health experience being assigned to support a patient.

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The 2025 World Social Work Day Theme & Poster

The International Association Of Schools Of Social

The International Association of Schools of Social Work (IASSW), the International Council of Social Welfare (ICSW), and the International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW) have jointly announced the theme for the 2025 World Social Work Day: ‘Strengthening Intergenerational Solidarity for Enduring Wellbeing’.

Diversity 121
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Scottish Government scraps national care service restructure

Community Care

The Scottish Government has ditched plans to restructure adult social care in the country into a ‘national care service’ (NCS). Notably, in 2023, the government said it would share accountability for the NCS with the NHS and councils.