Social Workers

Mr. Brotherton
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many social workers are currently employed in England and Wales; and how this compares with the position in each of the last five years.

Sir George Young
The estimated whole time equivalent number of social workers employed in local authority social service departments in England and Wales was 25,553.7 in 1978, the last year for which figures are available.Comparable figures for the four previous years are as follows:
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|1974|22,747.9|
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|1975|24,513.6|
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|1976|25,321.2|
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|1977|25,915.0|
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