Workforce Challenges Facing the Child Welfare Sector

Australia is facing a nationwide shortage of social workers. The Australian Government’s Jobs and Skills Report released in October 2023 listed social workers as one of the top 20 occupations in demand nationally, and also within each state and territory. With demand predicted to grow at a rate of more than 23%, this poses a significant challenge for the sector.

The Annual Jobs and Skills Report asserts that the shortage is being driven by a lack of qualified applicants rather than poor retention. The shortage is also exacerbated by the strong gender imbalance with 84% of the workforce identifying as female, which makes the pool of candidates smaller and skills shortage more likely.

With social work students bearing a cost of up to $21,000 to complete 1000 hours of mandatory unpaid internships to achieve qualification, peak bodies warn in the current economic climate Australia may not be able to attract the workforce that is needed to satisfy demand. The Australian Council of Heads of Social Work Education reports that financial disadvantage and poverty is an escalating problem for social work students, causing many to withdraw from study and significantly impacting their well-being.

A new approach to recruitment, qualification and retention of this essential workforce is required to address the national social worker shortage.