New NMDS-SC report has achieved national statistics' quality mark

News release 18 July 2012

The latest local authorities' social care workforce report using data from Skills for Care's National Minimum Data Set for Social Care (NMDS-SC) has been designated as holding National Statistics status.

The 'Personal Social Services: Staff of Social Services Departments, England' report analyses the adult social care workforce in England's 152 local authorities, and is based on NMDS-SC information. The report was co-produced by Skills for Care and the Health and Social Care Information Centre.

'National Statistics' is the national standard for official statistics. The 'National Statistics' Quality Mark indicates that the statistics have been produced in accordance with a Code of Practice for Official Statistics. The Code of Practice requires the statistics to be produced, managed and disseminated to high professional standards. The statistics must be well-explained and meet users' needs. The 'National Statistics' standard has statutory backing.

The main findings of the workforce report are:

• As at September 2011 there were 160,300 jobs in adult social services departments in England which accounted for 9 per cent of all adult social care jobs.
• As at September 2011 there were 16,300 Social Worker jobs in adult social services departments. This figure was estimated to be virtually unchanged between 2010 and 2011.
• The majority (82%) of adult social services jobs in 2011 were carried out by female workers and 18 per cent were carried out by male workers.
• The average age of workers in adult social services jobs in 2011 was 47 years.
• The majority (88%) of adult social services jobs in 2011 were carried out by White workers with 12 per cent carried out by workers from Black and Minority Ethnic groups.

"Skills for Care is delighted that the report Personal Social Services: Staff of Social Services Departments, England, which has met the UK Statistics Authority's quality standards for production, management and dissemination, has been designated as National Statistics," says Skills for Care CEO Sharon Allen.

"Our local authority partners - the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services - can rely upon this comprehensive and robust workforce report to inform their workforce planning and development".

Skills for Care has a comprehensive offer of support for local authorities preparing to submit their NMDS-SC data in autumn 2012. For more information visit:

http://www.nmds-sc-online.org.uk/content/view.aspx?id=Local%20Authorities.

The report is available from http://www.ic.nhs.uk/statistics-and-data-collections/social-care/adult-social-care-information/personal-social-services-staff-of-social-services-departments-england--as-at-september-2011 

Media enquiries:

Paul Clarke: 0113 2411297/ 07977519287. paul.clarke@skillsforcare.org.uk

Notes to editors:

1. The UK Statistics Authority is an independent body established in 2008. It has a statutory role to assess all official statistics to ensure they are meeting the requirements of the Code. Those statistics that were designated as National Statistics before the introduction of the UK Statistics Authority will continue to carry the logo until formally assessed by the Authority. Should any of those statistics be judged as not compliant with the Code, the Authority is required to remove the National Statistics designation. More information about the UK Statistics Authority, the Code of Practice for Official Statistics and assessment can be found on the Authority's website.