‘Exodus of senior social workers’ raises concern over stability and supervision

A steep decline in the number of senior social workers in Scotland has sparked renewed concern about the sustainability of the profession, with the Scottish Association of Social Workers (SASW) warning that the loss of experienced practitioners is undermining supervision, mentoring and practice quality at a critical time.

The warning follows the publication of the Scottish Social Services Council’s (SSSC) latest six-monthly workforce report, which analyses filled posts and vacancies in local authority social work services as of June 2025. While the report shows that overall numbers of practising social workers remain among the highest recorded since the 1990s, SASW says the headline figures obscure a more troubling trend: an “exodus” of senior social workers.

Between December 2024 and June 2025, the whole-time equivalent (WTE) number of senior social workers fell by 6.6%. Over the same period, main grade social worker numbers increased slightly by 0.3%, while the overall workforce fell by 1.2%. For SASW, this shift represents not just a fluctuation in staffing, but a significant drain of experience and leadership from the system.

“More worrying, the 6.6% drop in senior social workers during these six months represents a significant loss of experience, practice wisdom and leadership at precisely the moment when Scotland requires stable, experienced supervision of newly qualified practitioners during a period of significant change,” the association said in its response to the report.

Senior social workers are central to the functioning of frontline services, providing professional supervision, mentoring newly qualified staff and holding responsibility for complex and high-risk work. SASW argues that their departure risks weakening practice at a time when demand is rising and the system is undergoing significant reform.

The SSSC data shows there were 6,095 WTE practising social workers in June 2025, still one of the highest totals since records began. Compared with December 2021, overall WTE numbers have increased by 7.6%, and the number of social workers per 100,000 population has risen from 104.7 to 109.9. However, SASW cautions that growth in overall numbers cannot compensate for the loss of senior practitioners.

The association warns that fewer senior staff means reduced capacity for supervision and support, particularly for newly qualified social workers. This, it says, risks creating a damaging cycle in which lack of support contributes to stress, burnout and further attrition among main grade staff.

The loss of senior social workers is occurring alongside persistently high vacancy rates. The June 2025 report identified at least 551 WTE vacancies across reporting local authorities, equivalent to a vacancy rate of 8.9%. Although this is slightly lower than in June 2024, it is unchanged from December 2024 and has remained high over several reporting periods.

Vacancy rates vary significantly across the country, with some areas reporting rates of over 20%. SASW warns that such levels place unsustainable pressure on existing staff, increasing workloads and the risk of further departures. While vacancy rates for senior posts (6.4%) are lower than for main grade roles (9.5%), the sharp fall in filled senior posts suggests experienced practitioners are leaving the workforce altogether, rather than moving between employers.

Nineteen of the 26 local authorities that responded to the survey said vacancies were hard to fill, most commonly due to a lack of applicants with sufficient experience. For SASW, this points to a systemic retention and workforce development problem, rather than a short-term recruitment issue.

The implications of the senior social worker exodus are particularly acute in children’s services. The report shows an 11.3% vacancy rate for main grade posts in children’s teams, a level SASW describes as “unsustainable”.

Children’s services are facing growing and increasingly complex demand, alongside national priorities for reform and change. SASW argues that these pressures cannot be resolved through recruitment alone, especially when local authorities consistently report a shortage of experienced candidates.

Without sufficient senior practitioners to provide oversight and mentoring, the association warns that newly qualified social workers may be left carrying responsibility beyond their experience, increasing the risk of stress, mistakes and early exit from the profession.

SASW’s response frames the decline in senior social workers as evidence of a deeper problem in how the profession supports and retains experienced staff. The association argues that current career structures often leave practitioners feeling they must move into management to progress, or leave frontline practice altogether.

This, it says, contributes to the loss of experienced practitioners who wish to remain in direct practice but feel there are limited opportunities, recognition or support to do so sustainably. Geographic variation in vacancy rates also points to the need for more coordinated national workforce planning, rather than reliance on individual local authority approaches.

In response to the findings, SASW has reiterated calls for urgent, systemic action. Central to its position is the need for improved working conditions, including terms and conditions that support professional integrity, manageable workloads and work-life balance.

The association is also calling for guaranteed, protected supervision time for all practitioners, describing this as a key workforce quality and retention measure. Clearer career development pathways are another priority, enabling experienced social workers to remain in frontline practice if they choose, rather than being pushed towards management or out of the profession.

Workload management is highlighted as critical, with SASW arguing that vacancy rates of 8.9% place unsustainable pressure on existing staff. It is calling for national maximum caseloads and explicit recognition of the increasing complexity of social work.

Finally, SASW says the data reinforces the urgency of establishing a National Social Work Agency with the capacity to address workforce planning challenges at a national level. Without decisive action, it warns, the continued loss of senior social workers risks leaving the profession with fewer mentors, weaker supervision and reduced resilience at a time when stability is most needed.