Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to tackle social work workforce (a) shortages and (b) recruitment.

We recognise and value the vital contribution of regulated professions, including social workers in adult social care, and are committed to developing the skills of the workforce. That is why we announced a new fund on 10 January 2024 to support recruitment of social work apprentices into adult social care over the next three years.

The new funding will allow local authorities to apply for a contribution towards the costs of training and supervising new social work apprenticeships. Details on what the funding can be used for, how to access the funding, and employer eligibility will be set out in guidance to be published on GOV.UK shortly.