Children's social work workforce
Reporting year 2025

Description

This guidance describes the data included in the underlying data files of the 2025 official statistics release ‘ Children's social work workforce (https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/children-s-social-work-workforce)’.

This data is released under the terms of the Open Government Licence (http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/) and is intended to meet at least 3 stars for Open Data (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/2010-to-2015-government-policy-government-transparency-and-accountability/2010-to-2015-government-policy-government-transparency-and-accountability#appendix-3-releasing-data-in-open-and-anonymised-formats).

The methodology page (https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/methodology/children-s-social-work-workforce-methodology) should be referenced alongside this data.

Coverage

This annual release contains statistics on child and family social workers, including agency social workers, employed in local authorities in England. Each reporting year covers the period 1 October to 30 September.

The information is based on data collected by the Department for Education from all local authorities in England in the annual Children’s social work workforce census (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/childrens-social-work-workforce-census-guide-to-submitting-data).

The underlying data files include national, regional and local authority level information for the years 2017 to 2025.

File formats and conventions

Symbology

The following symbols are used in the underlying data files as follows:

     z        Data is not applicable

     x        Data is unavailable for unknown or other reasons

     c        Suppressed to protect confidential information

     low   Rounds to 0, but is not 0

     u        low reliability

Rounding

Figures for full-time equivalents (FTEs), rates, percentages, caseload and working days have been rounded to one decimal place. Therefore component parts may not sum to totals if applicable.

Headcounts and cases held are reported to the nearest whole number.

Data files

1. Indicators (in post, starters, leavers, agency workers, vacancies, caseload and absence)

Filename: csww_indicators_2017_to_2025.csv
Geographic levels: Local authority; National; Regional
Time period: 2017 to 2025
Content summary: FTE and headcount figures on: social workers in post; starters; leavers; agency social workers in post; vacancies; caseload; and sickness absence.

Variable names and descriptions for this file are provided below:

Variable name                  |  Variable description
-----------------------------  |  --------------------------------------------------------------------
absence_rate_fte               |  Sickness absence rate - FTE (year to 30 September)
agency_cover_fte               |  Agency workers in post covering vacancies - FTE (as at 30 September)
agency_cover_rate_fte          |  Agency workers covering vacancies rate - FTE (as at 30 September)
agency_fte                     |  Agency workers in post - FTE (as at 30 September)
agency_headcount               |  Agency workers in post - headcount (as at 30 September)
agency_rate_fte                |  Agency worker rate - FTE (as at 30 September)
agency_rate_headcount          |  Agency worker rate - headcount (as at 30 September)
case_holders_fte               |  Social and agency workers holding cases - FTE (as at 30 September)
caseload_fte                   |  Average caseload - per FTE (as at 30 September)
cases                          |  Cases held (as at 30 September)
inpost_fte                     |  Social workers in post - FTE (as at 30 September)
inpost_headcount               |  Social workers in post - headcount (as at 30 September)
leavers_fte                    |  Social worker leavers - FTE (year to 30 September)
leavers_headcount              |  Social worker leavers - headcount (year to 30 September)
starters_fte                   |  Social worker starters - FTE (year to 30 September)
starters_headcount             |  Social worker starters - headcount (year to 30 September)
turnover_rate_fte              |  Turnover rate - FTE (year to 30 September)
turnover_rate_headcount        |  Turnover rate - headcount (year to 30 September)
vacancy_agency_cover_rate_fte  |  Vacancy agency worker cover rate - FTE (as at 30 September)
vacancy_fte                    |  Vacancies - FTE (as at 30 September)
vacancy_rate_fte               |  Vacancy rate - FTE (as at 30 September)
working_days_lost_fte          |  Working days missed due to sickness absence (year to 30 September)

Footnotes:

1. Kensington and Chelsea and Westminster were unable to provide data for 2025 following a cyberattack which had a significant impact on their information management systems. Therefore, figures from the previous year were used as best estimates for these local authorities to calculate 2025 totals for England, London, and Inner London.


2. Characteristics (in post, starters, leavers)

Filename: csww_characteristics_inpost_starters_leavers_2017_to_2025.csv
Geographic levels: Local authority; National; Regional
Time period: 2017 to 2025
Content summary: FTE and headcount figures on characteristics of social workers in post, starters and leavers by: sex; age; ethnicity; role; and time in service.

Variable names and descriptions for this file are provided below:

Variable name                  |  Variable description
-----------------------------  |  -----------------------------------------------------------------------
breakdown                      |  Breakdown
inpost_FTE                     |  Social workers in post - FTE (as at 30 September)
inpost_FTE_percentage          |  Percentage of social workers in post - FTE (as at 30 September)
inpost_headcount               |  Social workers in post - headcount (as at 30 September)
inpost_headcount_percentage    |  Percentage of social workers in post - headcount (as at 30 September)
leavers_FTE                    |  Social worker leavers - FTE (year to 30 September)
leavers_FTE_percentage         |  Percentage of social worker leavers - FTE (year to 30 September)
leavers_headcount              |  Social worker leavers - headcount (year to 30 September)
leavers_headcount_percentage   |  Percentage of social worker leavers - headcount (year to 30 September)
starters_FTE                   |  Social worker starters - FTE (year to 30 September)
starters_FTE_percentage        |  Percentage of social worker starters - FTE (year to 30 September)
starters_headcount             |  Social worker starters - headcount (year to 30 September)
starters_headcount_percentage  |  Percentage of social worker starters - headcount (year to 30 September)

Footnotes:

1. Kensington and Chelsea and Westminster were unable to provide data for 2025 following a cyberattack which had a significant impact on their information management systems. Therefore, figures from the previous year were used as best estimates for these local authorities to calculate 2025 totals for England, London, and Inner London.
2. Age of the child and family social worker at 30 September of the reporting year.
3. Age of social worker starter at 30 September of the reporting year.
4. Age of social worker leaver on the date they left their post at the local authority.
5. White comprises white British, white Irish, or any other white background.
6. Mixed / Multiple ethnic groups comprises white and black Caribbean, white and black African, white and Asian, or any other mixed background.
7. Asian / Asian British comprises Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Chinese, or any other Asian background.
8. Black / African / Caribbean / Black British comprises black Caribbean, black African, or any other black background.


3. Role by characteristics (in post)

Filename: csww_role_by_characteristics_inpost_2019_to_2025.csv
Geographic levels: Local authority; National; Regional
Time period: 2019 to 2025
Content summary: FTE and headcount figures on the role of social workers in post by: sex; age; and ethnicity.

Variable names and descriptions for this file are provided below:

Variable name                |  Variable description
---------------------------  |  ---------------------------------------------------------------------
breakdown                    |  Breakdown
inpost_FTE                   |  Social workers in post - FTE (as at 30 September)
inpost_FTE_percentage        |  Percentage of social workers in post - FTE (as at 30 September)
inpost_headcount             |  Social workers in post - headcount (as at 30 September)
inpost_headcount_percentage  |  Percentage of social workers in post - headcount (as at 30 September)
role                         |  Organisation role

Footnotes:

1. Kensington and Chelsea and Westminster were unable to provide data for 2025 following a cyberattack which had a significant impact on their information management systems. Therefore, figures from the previous year were used as best estimates for these local authorities to calculate 2025 totals for England, London, and Inner London.
2. For certain years, there can be small differences in the totals for different characteristics. This is due to social workers with unknown characteristics being excluded from the respective totals.
3. Age of the child and family social worker at 30 September of the reporting year.
4. White comprises white British, white Irish, or any other white background.
5. Mixed / Multiple ethnic groups comprises white and black Caribbean, white and black African, white and Asian, or any other mixed background.
6. Asian / Asian British comprises Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Chinese, or any other Asian background.
7. Black / African / Caribbean / Black British comprises black Caribbean, black African, or any other black background.


4. Cross-characteristics (in post) - national only

Filename: csww_cross_characteristics_inpost_2017_to_2025.csv
Geographic levels: National
Time period: 2017 to 2025
Content summary: FTE and headcount figures on the cross-characteristics of social workers in post by: sex; age; and ethnicity.

Variable names and descriptions for this file are provided below:

Variable name     |  Variable description
----------------  |  -------------------------------------------------------
age_group         |  Age group
ethnicity_major   |  Ethnicity major
inpost_fte        |  Social workers in post - FTE (as at 30 September)
inpost_headcount  |  Social workers in post - headcount (as at 30 September)
sex               |  Sex

Footnotes:

1. Kensington and Chelsea and Westminster were unable to provide data for 2025 following a cyberattack which had a significant impact on their information management systems. Therefore, figures from the previous year were used as best estimates for these local authorities to calculate 2025 totals for England, London, and Inner London.
2. Age of the child and family social worker at 30 September of the reporting year.
3. White comprises white British, white Irish, or any other white background.
4. Mixed / Multiple ethnic groups comprises white and black Caribbean, white and black African, white and Asian, or any other mixed background.
5. Asian / Asian British comprises Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Chinese, or any other Asian background.
6. Black / African / Caribbean / Black British comprises black Caribbean, black African, or any other black background.


5. Attrition (leavers) - national only

Filename: csww_attrition_2017_to_2025.csv
Geographic levels: National
Time period: 2017 to 2025
Content summary: These are official statistics in development. FTE figures on the number and rate of social worker leavers due to: total attrition; full attrition; agency attrition; and movers between local authorities.

Variable names and descriptions for this file are provided below:

Variable name              |  Variable description
-------------------------  |  ------------------------------------------------------------------
agency_attrition_fte       |  Agency attrition - FTE (year to 30 September)
agency_attrition_rate_fte  |  Agency attrition rate - FTE (year to 30 September)
full_attrition_fte         |  Full attrition - FTE (year to 30 September)
full_attrition_rate_fte    |  Full attrition rate - FTE (year to 30 September)
inpost_fte                 |  Social workers in post - FTE (as at 30 September)
leavers_fte                |  Social worker leavers - FTE (year to 30 September)
movers_las_fte             |  Movers between local authorities - FTE (year to 30 September)
movers_las_rate_fte        |  Movers between local authorities rate - FTE (year to 30 September)
total_attrition_fte        |  Total attrition - FTE (year to 30 September)
total_attrition_rate_fte   |  Total attrition rate - FTE (year to 30 September)
turnover_rate_fte          |  Turnover rate - FTE (year to 30 September)


6. Base salary full-time (in post) - national and regional only

Filename: csww_full_time_base_salary_2025.csv
Geographic levels: National; Regional
Time period: 2025
Content summary: These are official statistics in development. Base salary information of full-time social workers in post by role, sex, ethnicity, age and time in service.

Variable names and descriptions for this file are provided below:

Variable name                          |  Variable description
-------------------------------------  |  -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
age_group                              |  Age group
ethnicity_major                        |  Ethnicity major
inpost_full_time_base_salary_mean      |  Mean base salary of full time social workers in post (as at 30 September)
inpost_full_time_base_salary_median    |  Median base salary of full time social workers in post (as at 30 September)
inpost_full_time_base_salary_recorded  |  Number of full time social workers in post with base salary recorded (as at 30 September)
role                                   |  Organisation role
sex                                    |  Sex
time_in_service                        |  Time in service

Footnotes:

1. Age of the child and family social worker at 30 September of the reporting year.
2. White comprises white British, white Irish, or any other white background.
3. Mixed / Multiple ethnic groups comprises white and black Caribbean, white and black African, white and Asian, or any other mixed background.
4. Asian / Asian British comprises Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Chinese, or any other Asian background.
5. Black / African / Caribbean / Black British comprises black Caribbean, black African, or any other black background.


7. Allowances and additional payments - national and regional only

Filename: csww_allowances_and_additional_payments_2025.csv
Geographic levels: National; Regional
Time period: 2025
Content summary: These are official statistics in development. Figures on the eligibility of social workers in post for eight types of local authority allowances and additional payments.

Variable names and descriptions for this file are provided below:

Variable name                       |  Variable description
----------------------------------  |  ----------------------------------
allowances_and_additional_payments  |  Allowances and additional payments
eligibility                         |  Eligibility
number_local_authorities            |  Number of local authorities
percentage_local_authorities        |  Percentage of local authorities
