The shortage of men in social work has been a long-running issue for the sector.
As of November 2022, 83% of registered social workers in England were women, according to Social Work England’s last annual report. In local authority children's services, the proportion is both higher and growing, increasing from 85.2% in 2017 to 87.4% in 2023.
But is this imbalance troubling practitioners?
The remaining 32% said that a social worker’s qualities were what counted.
Learn more with the Social Work Community podcast
Curious about the ongoing debate surrounding the lack of male social workers? In the premiere of the award-nominated Social Work Community Podcast’s second season, our careers editor, Sharmeen Ziauddin, sat down with two male social workers, Curtis Powell and Jason Barnes. They discussed their experiences in the field, why they chose social work and what they brought to the table as men in the profession.You can find the podcast on all major platforms, but Social Work Community members enjoy exclusive early access to each episode.
“It would be interesting to see more research addressing the impact of this dynamic in terms of the effectiveness of social work and the engagement of male service users, especially within children’s services,” he wrote under a related article.
“What is it about social work which continues to lead to so few young men choosing it as a career option?”
Have you noticed any consequences of the lack of male social workers in your area?
Share your story
Would you like to write about a day in your life as a social worker? Do you have any stories, reflections or experiences from working in social work that you'd like to share or write about?
If so, email our community journalist, Anastasia Koutsounia, at anastasia.koutsounia@markallengroup.com
