Unqualified social work support roles

Request

Please could you provide the following information to your local authority.



1. Unqualified social work support roles

Please provide the number of staff currently employed by the council in unqualified roles that support statutory social work or social care teams.



For the purpose of this request, I am referring to roles that do not require the postholder to be a registered social worker, but which support social work or social care activity.



This may include, but is not limited to, roles such as:



Social Work Assistant

Family Support Worker

Social Care Assistant

Social Care Practitioner

Community Support Worker

Early Help Worker

Contact / Supervised Contact Worker

Assessment Support Worker

Social Work Support Officer

Children's Services Support Worker

Adult Social Care Support Worker

Personal Advisor / Leaving Care Support Worker, where not required to be a qualified social worker



Please provide the number of staff in these roles by:



a) job title

b) service area, for example, Children's Services, Adult Social Care, Early Help, Leaving Care, SEND, Mental Health, Learning Disability, Hospital Discharge, etc.

c) headcount

d) full-time equivalent, if available

e) permanent or agency worker



If it is not possible to provide the information by service area, please provide the total number across the council.



2. Social work apprenticeships

For each of the last three financial years, please provide:



a) the number of apprenticeships started by the council in total

b) the number of apprenticeships started in social care/children's services/adult social care

c) the number of apprenticeships started that lead to a recognised social work qualification

d) the name of the apprenticeship standard or qualification used, for example, Social Worker Degree Apprenticeship

e) the number of staff who completed a social work qualification through an apprenticeship route

f) the number of staff currently undertaking a social work qualification through an apprenticeship route



Please provide the information for the following financial years:



2022/23

2023/24

2024/25



If data for 2024/25 is not yet available, please provide the most recent available year.



3. Future plans

Please confirm whether the council plans to recruit or support any new social work degree apprentices in 2025/26.



If yes, please provide the expected number.

Decision

Service Area

Position Title

Headcount

FTE

Employment

Boston & SH Locality

Early Help Consultant

14

13.62

Permanent

Boston & SH Locality

Early Help Worker

37

34.2

Permanent

Boston & SH Locality

Senior Early Help Consultant

2

2

Permanent

Boston & SH Locality

Senior Early Help Worker

7

6.23

Permanent

Children In Care and Residential Estate

Early Help Worker (reunification team)

4

4

Permanent

Children In Care and Residential Estate

Support Worker

4

2.7

Permanent

Children's Send

Assistant Caseworker

7

6.4

Permanent

Children's Send

Caseworker

10

9.81

Permanent

Children's Send

SEND Assistant Caseworker

3

2.06

Permanent

Children's Send

SEND Caseworker Level 1

16

16

Permanent

Children's Send

SEND Caseworker Level 2

25

23.61

Permanent

Early Intervention and Independence

Community Care Officer Level 1

1

1

Permanent

Early Intervention and Independence

Community Care Officer Level 2

42

40.86

Permanent

Early Intervention and Independence

Maximising Independence Worker

7

6.68

Permanent

Early Years

Early Help Worker - FAB

1

1

Permanent

East Community Wellbeing Team

Community Care Officer Level 1

7

5.99

Permanent

East Community Wellbeing Team

Community Care Officer Level 2

44

42.64

Permanent

East Community Wellbeing Team

Practitioner (Unqualified)

5

3.26

Permanent

East Lindsey Locality

Early Help Worker

32

30.49

Permanent

East Lindsey Locality

Senior Early Help Worker

6

6

Permanent

East Lindsey Locality

Team Manager Early Help

1

1

Permanent

Family Services and Secondary Prevention

Relief Support Worker

21

0

Permanent

Family Services and Secondary Prevention

Support Worker

85

66.68

Permanent

Fostering and Adoption

Children & Family Officer Level 1

2

2

Permanent

Fostering and Adoption

Children and Families Officer

3

2

Permanent

Fostering and Adoption

Early Help Worker

2

2

Permanent

Fostering and Adoption

Placement Support Worker

7

6.5

Permanent

Future4Me

Early Help Worker

42

38.24

Permanent

Future4Me

Early Help Worker - Future4Me

1

1

Permanent

Future4Me

Senior Early Help Worker

9

8.81

Permanent

Improvement, Prevention & Partnerships

Maximising Independence Job Coach

1

1

Permanent

Leaving Care, Semi-Independent Living and Unaccompanied Children

Accommodation and Housing Worker

2

2

Permanent

Leaving Care, Semi-Independent Living and Unaccompanied Children

Leaving Care Worker

31

30.11

Permanent

Leaving Care, Semi-Independent Living and Unaccompanied Children

Participation Officer

1

1

Permanent

Leaving Care, Semi-Independent Living and Unaccompanied Children

Personal Adviser – Lincolnshire Leaving Care Service

1

1

Permanent

Leaving Care, Semi-Independent Living and Unaccompanied Children

Supported Lodgings Worker

2

2

Permanent

Leaving Care, Semi-Independent Living and Unaccompanied Children

Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children/Care Leaver Worker

2

2

Permanent

Lincoln & West Lindsey Locality

Early Help Worker

50

46.82

Permanent

Lincoln & West Lindsey Locality

Senior Early Help Worker

11

10.81

Permanent

Mental Health

Independent Management Review Co-ordinator

1

1

Permanent

NK & SK Locality

Early Help Worker

46

43.96

Permanent

NK & SK Locality

Early Help Worker - TIME Worker

4

4

Permanent

NK & SK Locality

Family Group Decision Making Worker

12

12

Permanent

NK & SK Locality

Family Time Worker

23

19.89

Permanent

NK & SK Locality

Senior Early Help Worker

7

7

Permanent

NK & SK Locality

Senior Family Group Decision Making Worker

2

2

Permanent

NK & SK Locality

Senior Family Time Worker

4

4

Permanent

Safeguarding Services

Community Care Officer Level 2

4

4

Permanent

South Community Wellbeing Team

Community Care Officer

1

1

Permanent

South Community Wellbeing Team

Community Care Officer Level 1

1

1

Permanent

South Community Wellbeing Team

Community Care Officer Level 2

43

39.95

Permanent

South Community Wellbeing Team

Practitioner (Unqualified)

5

4.05

Permanent

Special Projects & Hospital Services

Broker

13

12.5

Permanent

Special Projects & Hospital Services

Community Care Officer

5

5

Permanent

Special Projects & Hospital Services

Community Care Officer Level 2

37

35.35

Permanent

Special Projects & Hospital Services

Senior Broker

2

1.91

Permanent

Special Projects & Hospital Services

Social Care Co-ordinator

1

1

Permanent

West Community Wellbeing Team

Community Care Officer

4

4

Permanent

West Community Wellbeing Team

Community Care Officer Level 1

7

6.31

Permanent

West Community Wellbeing Team

Community Care Officer Level 2

37

34.53

Permanent

West Community Wellbeing Team

Maximising Independence Worker

2

1.62

Permanent

West Community Wellbeing Team

Practitioner (Unqualified)

1

1

Permanent

West Community Wellbeing Team

Unqualified Practitioner

1

0.73

Permanent

 

2.

2022/23

a) 98

b) 16

c) 15

d) Social worker (integrated degree)

e) 10


2023/24

a) 100

b) 19

c) 3yr apprenticeship so none of the starts this year have completed.

d) Social worker (integrated degree)

e) 8

2024/25

a) 89

b) 22

c) 3yr apprenticeship so none of the starts this year have completed.

d) Social worker (integrated degree)

e) 16

f) 56 at 26/6/26

 

3.

17 started their apprenticeship September 25

Reference number
16930313
Date request received
18 June 2026
Date of decision
16 July 2026