Standard 2 - Effective workforce planning systems

Meeting current and future service demands

Employers should:  

• undertake an assessment of current and future need across the local community and feed this data, where possible, into local, regional and national workforce planning
• build a clear practice methodology based on an up-to-date understanding of the required knowledge and skills base for social workers
• prepare for future service demands by providing good quality practice placements and assessments as well as other types of practice learning to ensure that the right numbers of new social workers of the right calibre are trained.

Improving workforce planning systems

Employers should:

• ensure that workforce planning systems involve strategic partnerships with higher education institutions and other agencies
• learn from and implement improvements based on the feedback of the workforce and the adults, children and families using the social work service
• learn from best practice across the sector with regards to the use of digital tools, including the Children’s Social Care Dashboard, to share insights, learning  and resources to inform workforce planning
• regularly monitor and review workforce planning systems to ensure they are suitable for the current operating context. For example, workforce planning should reflect the impact of hybrid and flexible working arrangements which have increased in many organisations since 2020.

Promoting and supporting a diverse workforce

Employers should:

• have a strategy to promote and improve diversity across all levels through the organisation
• recognise the talent and unique contribution of social workers at every career stage, and value their respective judgements
• provide planned support to help social workers return to work after a period of long absence
• take action to mitigate the different systemic challenges that diverse groups across the workforce face.