FIX 5: Protect Vulnerable Children in Hertfordshire

10.21.39am BST (GMT +0100) Wed 6th May 2009

This week's Panorama programme highlighted yet again the stress and pressure put on social workers in children's services.

Councils year on year have to find cost savings: here in Hertfordshire the solution was to replace social workers with case workers. Case workers are not trained in social care but trained by the council to manage cases. This practice has now stopped but recruiting Social Workers is proving difficult so the situation has not improved.

Chris White Liberal Democrat group leader, said: 'We have been highlighting this issue for years. We need well paid, well trained, highly qualified social workers to protect our most vulnerable children. This year the Liberal Democrats supported the proposals to increase funding for Social Workers but also added yet more money to the budget for increases in Social Workers pay.

'Sadly this was rejected by the Conservatives and Labour.'

ENDS

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Susan Gaszczak

Tel: 01923 238434

Mob: 07899 001598

We have 'Six to Fix' in Hertfordshire www.sixtofix.co.uk