The cost-of-living crisis has led to a third of UK social workers witnessing child removals in the past three years where poverty or financial poverty has been a key factor.
The research among social workers working with children, young people and families was conducted by the Social Workers Union for ITV News.
Half felt that this was a trend which had increased in recent years, while a quarter of social workers (23%) disagreed there had been an increase. The remainder were unsure if they had witnessed an increase.
John McGowan, General Secretary of the Social Workers Union, commented:
“Removal of a child from their family is always a last resort, but as this data shows, the financial reality of life in modern day Britain is such that it is becoming a step which is being considered more and more.
“Social workers go above and beyond to help those at most risk in the country and are highlighting safeguarding concerns on a regular basis. However, the consistent reports from respondents to the survey are that the resources to help those most in need are just not there.”
More broadly nine in 10 social workers working with children, young people and families have seen the number of people they work with who are in poverty increase over the last 3 years as the cost of living crisis hits.
81% of social workers working with children, young people and families have seen the number of cases referred to them due to poverty increase in the last three years. Similar numbers (79%) of social workers also report self-referrals rising.
Dr Ruth Allen, Chief Executive of the British Association of Social Workers, said:
“Social workers have raised the alarm on the untold damage and distress that rising hardship is causing across the country, which is undoubtedly contributing to social services supporting more families in increasingly complex and vulnerable situations.
“We all want families to stay together but must also prioritise the safety and care of children and ensure that families have access to the resources they need to thrive. These important decisions taken by professionals are a delicate tightrope being made ever frailer by deepening financial pressures. While poverty in itself is never a reason to remove children from parental care, the stresses and hardships render people more vulnerable to other risks and can undermine parenting.
“The bottom line is that the strain on services and risk of harm to families is at crisis point. Action, resources and political willpower is needed urgently to tackle the root causes of poverty, invest in public services and strengthen the safety net that so many depend upon. It’s critical that the government listens to these warnings and gets to work right away.”
One of the respondents to the survey, a children’s social worker in the West Midlands, commented:
“While we would never remove children for poverty alone, financial stressors and poverty often lead to other difficulties such as domestic abuse, drug and alcohol misuse and poor mental health.
“When these become entrenched in family dynamics, children are then at risk of significant harm.
“If it is simply a matter of money, the local authority can subsidise this for a short period, but I am often concerned what will happen once the children are no longer on a plan and the council is no longer able to subsidise the cost of living.”
A Cafcass social worker from the North East of England commented:
“Poverty contributes to wider risk factors, such as poor mental health, substance and alcohol misuse and domestic abuse.
“But rather than money being directly spent on supporting families remaining together, funds are redirected to remove children from parents at a huge expense.”
John McGowan added:
“Helping vulnerable adults and young people is only possible if a full range of public services are available and well funded.
“Ministers must own up to the fact that it is only the Government that can provide the funding to reverse the decline in public services and ensure the most vulnerable get the support they need.
“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.”
Read and watch the reports on the SWU / ITV News social work survey:
- ‘A child’s death is on every social worker’s mind’: On the frontline with social services (ITV News, 4 December 2024)
- Number of families being referred to social services due to poverty growing, social workers say (ITV News, 5 December 2024)