I think it important to re-assure readers regarding social worker recruitment in West Sussex after the article “Shocking bill for agency social work” (The Argus, April 15).

In the article Ian Ross said he was “taking the politics out of the situation”, but in reality he was doing nothing of the sort.

He failed to mention the extensive measures West Sussex County Council has been taking to recruit staff despite a national shortage of social workers.

The prospective Labour candidate for Worthing West heralded his use of Freedom of Information to reveal how many social worker vacancies there are in West Sussex, but this detail has been widely and publicly available for some time.

In a press release to Ed Balls (Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families) in March we said: “In West Sussex, at the end of January, we had a 21.53% shortage of qualified social workers within children’s services and 18.86% within adults’ services and we know from neighbouring authorities that they are also experiencing the same problems.”

Mr Ross criticises expenditure on agency staff but this is simply to ensure vulnerable children and adults are protected while we continue our drive to fill vacancies.

West Sussex County Council identified a shortage of social workers as a serious problem prior to its Ofsted inspection in March, 2008.

It launched a major recruitment campaign, including a website for potential recruits to find out more about what we have to offer.

The council has drawn up a £500,000 recruitment and retention package and is developing closer links with colleges and universities where the social workers of the future are being trained.

We announced in January that the first round of our campaign led to the appointment of 26 social workers – 11 to work in children’s services.

In addition, a further 22.5 full-time equivalent qualified social workers will join the council in the next few months.

The majority of the new starters are in children’s.

There are also a number of sponsored students who will be qualifying this summer and taking up jobs.

If Mr Ross really wants to help he could start by asking Government ministers to invest in and raise the profile of what is acknowledged to be a very challenging profession.

Only national action will ensure the shortage of the dedicated staff we, and other local authorities, are experiencing.

For example, Essex has resorted to advertising in Australia and New Zealand.

Patricia Arculus
cabinet member for children and young people’s services
West Sussex County Council