This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Social work staff numbers
31/07/2003
There were 36,415 Whole Time Equivalent (WTE) staff
employed by Scottish local authority social work services
in October 2002, according to statistics published
today.
The Executive carried out a census of all local
authority social work services at the beginning of October
2002, the results of which are published today in a
Statistical Bulletin,
Staff of Scottish Local Authority Social Work
Services 2002.
The National Statistics publication shows:
- WTE numbers are up from 34,688 to 36,415 (five per
cent).
- The 36,415 WTE staff in October 2002 corresponded
to 7.1 staff per 1,000 population. The number of staff
was highest in the island councils (16.3 in Orkney
Islands, 14.7 in Eilean Siar and 12.5 in Shetland
Islands) and lowest in Dumfries & Galloway (3.9)
and Perth & Kinross (4.4).
- Thirty per cent of staff employed by Scottish local
authority social work services in October 2002 were
domiciliary staff (mainly home carers) and one quarter
were fieldwork staff. A further 16 per cent worked in
residential establishments for adults and 10 per cent
were located in day centres for adults.
- The majority (85 per cent) of staff in 2002 were
female. This proportion was highest for staff providing
services for adults, where 90 per cent were female, and
lowest for staff providing services for offenders (59
per cent).
- There were 2,861 vacancies (excluding home care
staff) in Scottish local authority social work services
in October 2002. Of these, 564 were for qualified
social workers.
National Statistics are produced to high professional
standards set out in the National Statistics Code of
Practice. They undergo regular quality assurance reviews to
ensure that they meet customer needs. They are produced
free from any political interference.
Public enquiries about the information contained in this
News Release should be addressed to Social Work Statistics
Unit, Room 2N.08, St Andrew's House, Regent Road, Edinburgh
EH1 3DG or email SWstat@scotland.gsi.gov.uk.
Many local authorities are undertaking some tasks
through joint arrangements of one type or another, and some
local authorities are increasingly contracting out
services. Therefore, while the level of service may remain
the same, the staff carrying out those services may not
necessarily be employees of the local authority social work
service. For this reason, staff numbers should not be taken
as a strict measure of the services provided by each
authority.