Welfare concerns raised by social workers are not being dealt with, putting vulnerable people at risk, a union has warned.
In a survey of Social Workers Union (SWU) members, two-fifths (40%) of respondents said they had raised concerns in the last 18 months without then seeing appropriate action.
Almost a third (29%) of those who believed their concerns were not addressed appropriately said it happened in more than five cases.
The survey, which was commissioned by The Independent, received 716 responses from the SWU’s 16,000 members.
More than half (58%) of respondents said their caseloads were unmanageable, and most (86%) said they expected referrals to increase in the next year.
The SWU also warned of continuing mental health and recruitment crises, as 86% of social workers said they suffered from stress at work and around half said they were considering leaving the profession.
SWU general secretary John McGowan said the data highlighted ‘a profession on the brink of a collective breakdown’ after more than a decade of austerity.
He added: ‘Social workers speak out and speak up for the people they support, but if they are not listened to, then the risks to children, young people and adults in need are dangerous and severe.’
