Children’s social workers are more likely to consider switching areas of practice than practitioners in adults’ or mental health services, a Community Care poll has found.
The finding mirrors a 2024 Social Work England survey of 1,375 practitioners, which found that children's practitioners were more likely than their adults’ counterparts to consider changing to a different specialism.
Of 321 children's social workers who responded to our poll, 46% said they were open to moving to another area of practice.
The poll also received 85 responses from mental health practitioners, 28% of whom were considering moving to another area of practice.
Are you considering a move to another area of practice? Tell us in the comments what would motivate you to change fields.
Celebrate those who've inspired you
Do you have a colleague, mentor, or social work figure you can't help but gush about?
Our My Brilliant Colleague series invites you to celebrate anyone within social work who has inspired you – whether current or former colleagues, managers, students, lecturers, mentors or prominent past or present sector figures whom you have admired from afar.
Nominate your colleague or social work inspiration by filling in our nominations form with a few paragraphs (100-250 words) explaining how and why the person has inspired you.
*Please note that, despite the need to provide your name and role, you or the nominee can be anonymous in the published entry*
If you have any questions, email our community journalist, Anastasia Koutsounia, at anastasia.koutsounia@markallengroup.com
