Childrens Services social workers

The request was successful.

Loredana Grigore

Dear Derbyshire County Council,

I would be grateful if you could respond to the following questions:

1. What is the trend data for your Local Authority over the last three years in relation to the proportion of agency front line social workers (those holding cases) as opposed to front line directly employed workers; the average number of cases held by all front line workers; the turnover rate of both directly employed and also agency social workers?
2. Do you have a strategic recruitment and retention plan for front line social workers? If so please provide a copy and any data that can support or otherwise it’s effectiveness in achieving it’s aims.
3. Last year HCPC estimated that it would process about 600 registration applications from foreign-trained social workers. Have you considered international recruitment. If you have not are there specific reasons why you have not pursued such an option given that children’s social work is on the government’s official shortage occupation list?
4. If you have recruited from outside of the UK can you please provide details of source countries and the numbers involved ideally broken down by those who have applied to you themselves and those you have recruited through an agency? How long has it taken to get such workers into post after interview? How many were registered to work in the UK (including the provinces) in advance of interview? What proportion have passed their probationary periods? What data do you have on retention rates for such social workers?
5. If you have recruited through an agency what fees and costs were involved? How did you comply with principles of procurement and in particular ensure best value? How many agencies were contacted and invited to bid? Were there any agencies who you knew provided such workers but were overlooked for such purposes? If you had a procurement specification(source country, post qualification experience, languages, registration situation etc), please provide a copy.
6. Which Officer (position and name if appropriate) takes lead responsibility for the recruitment and retention of childrens services social workers? Often this will involve lead Officers in both Childrens Services and Human Resources.

I thank you in advance for the time and trouble in responding to my questions.

Yours faithfully,

Loredana Grigore

Access 2 Info (Corporate Resources), Derbyshire County Council

Dear Sirs

I write to acknowledge receipt of your request for information received on the 26th May 2017

We will be processing your request under the (Freedom of Information Act 2000)(Environmental Information Regulations 2004). In accordance with the legislation, the deadline for responding is (20 working days) from the receipts of the request, this being 27th June 2017. However, we shall endeavour to deal with your request promptly, and if possible before this date.

Yours sincerely,

Justin Hird
Legal Assistant
For John McElvaney
Director of Legal Services
Derbyshire County Council
County Hall
Matlock
DE4 3AG

Telephone: 01629 539336

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Derbyshire County Council works to improve the lives of local people by delivering high quality services. You can find out more about us by visiting 'www.derbyshire.gov.uk'. If you want to work for us go to our job pages on 'www.derbyshire.gov.uk/jobs'. You can register for e-mail alerts, download job packs and apply on-line.

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CS DP and FOI (Childrens Services), Derbyshire County Council

Dear Ms Grigore

 

Thank you for your information request dated 26^th May 2017. I can confirm
that we do hold  some of the requested information. The request has been
considered under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.  The response to
your request is as follows:

 

1.      What is the trend data for your Local Authority over the last
three years in relation to the proportion of agency front line social
workers (those holding cases) as opposed to front line directly employed
workers; the average number of cases held by all front line workers; the
turnover rate of both directly employed and also agency social workers?

 

No data is recorded for turnover of agency social workers nor the average
number of cases held by them.

 

The average number of  cases held by directly employed workers are as
follows:

 

2014-2015 = 31

2015-2016 = 33

2016-2017 = 37

 

The turnover rate for  directly employed workers are as follows:

 

April 2014 – March 2015                15.56%

April 2015 -  March 2016                12.31%

April 2016 – March 2017                17.49%

 

2.   Do you have a strategic recruitment and retention plan for front line
social workers? If so please provide a copy and any data that can support
or otherwise it’s effectiveness in achieving it’s aims.

 

This plan is in the process of being produced.

 

3.   Last year HCPC estimated that it would process about 600 registration
applications from foreign-trained social workers. Have you considered
international recruitment. If you have not are there specific reasons why
you have not pursued such an option given that children’s social work is
on the government’s official shortage occupation list?

 

International recruitment has not been considered, we are recruiting from
within our own and surrounding localities.  There are no specific reasons
why we have not yet considered international recruitment.

 

4.  If you have recruited from outside of the UK can you please provide
details of source countries and the numbers involved ideally broken down
by those who have applied to you themselves and those you have recruited
through an agency? How long has it taken to get such workers into post
after interview? How many were registered to work in the UK (including the
provinces) in advance of interview? What proportion have passed their
probationary periods? What data do you have on retention rates for such
social workers?

 

This cannot be determined from the records we hold.

 

5.   If you have recruited through an agency what fees and costs were
involved? How did you comply with principles of procurement and in
particular ensure best value? How many agencies were contacted and invited
to bid? Were there any agencies who you knew provided such workers but
were overlooked for such purposes? If you had a procurement
specification(source country, post qualification experience, languages,
registration situation etc.), please provide a copy.

 

We went through a procurement exercise and selected Comensura as the
neutral vendor for obtaining agency employees. When an order is raised
Comensura release the information to a number of agencies (the ones that
are signed up to their Ts & Cs) and then agencies put forward their
workers. The ordering manager then selects the worker they feel is best
placed to undertake the assignment. Using a neutral vendor allows us
transparency for reporting on usage and costs.

 

6.    Which Officer (position and name if appropriate) takes lead
responsibility for the recruitment and retention of childrens services
social workers? Often this will involve lead Officers in both Childrens
Services and Human Resources.

 

Alison Noble - Service Director, Early Help and Safeguarding - Children's
Services

Leah Watson - Senior HR Consultant - Children's Services

 

 

I hope this now deals with your request for information. However should
you wish the outcome to be reviewed, please follow the procedure as set
out below;

 

Stage 1:

In the first instance, please send in your comments, and wherever
possible, a copy of your request and the covering letter enclosing the
information or refusing your request to:

 

Access to Information Solicitor

Legal Services

Derbyshire County Council

County Hall

Matlock

DE4 3AG

Email: [1][Derbyshire County Council request email]

 

Please ensure that correspondence is marked as “Request for a review of my
Freedom of Information Act / Environmental Information Regulations
request”, and bears any case references you have been given.   

 

Stage 2:

After completing the above procedure, if you wish to challenge the
decision further, then you have a right to contact the Information
Commissioner’s Office as follows: 

Information Commissioner’s Office

Wycliffe House

Water Lane

Wilmslow

Cheshire

SK9 5AF

 

Tel. 0303 123 1113/ Fax: 01625 524510

ICO Weblink: [2]http://www.ico.org.uk/complaints.aspx

 

Kind regards

 

Anne Kernaghan

 

 

Anne Kernaghan

Management Information Assistant - Information & ICT

Room Number 361

Children’s Services

Derbyshire County Council

County Hall

Matlock

DE4 3AG

 

Telephone: 01629 536470

 

Email: [3][email address

 

 

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Access 2 Info (Corporate Resources), Derbyshire County Council

2 Attachments

Dear Ms Grigore,

 

Please find response to your request.

 

Yours sincerely

 

Justin Hird

Legal Assistant

For John McElvaney

Director of Legal Services

Derbyshire County Council

County Hall

Matlock

DE4 3AG

 

 

PUBLIC – This email includes information which is not personal

 

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Derbyshire County Council works to improve the lives of local people by
delivering high quality services. You can find out more about us by
visiting 'www.derbyshire.gov.uk'. If you want to work for us go to our job
pages on 'www.derbyshire.gov.uk/jobs'. You can register for e-mail alerts,
download job packs and apply on-line.

Access 2 Info (Corporate Resources), Derbyshire County Council

2 Attachments

Dear Ms Grigore,

 

Please see email below and attachments

 

Kind regards Justin

 

From: Access 2 Info (Corporate Resources)
Sent: 21 August 2017 14:21
To: Loredana Grigore ([FOI #408845 email])
<[FOI #408845 email]>
Subject: Response FOI Request 657-17 Grigore DL: 31/08/2017

 

Dear Ms Grigore,

 

Please find response to your request.

 

Yours sincerely

 

Justin Hird

Legal Assistant

For John McElvaney

Director of Legal Services

Derbyshire County Council

County Hall

Matlock

DE4 3AG

 

 

PUBLIC – This email includes information which is not personal

 

This email or email thread section has been classified CONTROLLED - This
email requires controlled access by Council personnel and / or intended
recipient(s) only. This email may contain business or personal
information.

Think before you print! Save energy and paper. Do you really need to print
this email?

Derbyshire County Council works to improve the lives of local people by
delivering high quality services. You can find out more about us by
visiting 'www.derbyshire.gov.uk'. If you want to work for us go to our job
pages on 'www.derbyshire.gov.uk/jobs'. You can register for e-mail alerts,
download job packs and apply on-line.