Number of social work students falls for second consecutive year in Scotland

The number of social work students registered in Scotland has fallen for a second consecutive year, with student poverty cited as a factor.

Student numbers fell by 2.7% in 2023-24, from 1,998 to 1,944, following a a 5.2% drop the year before, according to the Scottish Social Services Council’s (SSSC) annual snapshot of the registered workforce.

The SSSC said that higher education institutions (HEIs) had reported that poverty and cost of living pressures were factors in a drop in the numbers applying to social work courses.

Student-led campaign for improved financial support

The news follows a student-led campaign to improve financial support for those studying social work in Scotland, to prevent hardship and attrition from courses and provide equity of support with those studying to become health professionals.

The Scottish Government has addressed the campaign’s aims in part, extending student loan access to postgraduate social work students ineligible for a bursary from SSSC and increasing practice learning support from £350 to £750 per placement.

However, campaigners, who are backed by the Social Workers Union and Scottish Association of Social Work, have warned that this is insufficient.

They have called for annual bursaries of £7,500 for third- and fourth-year undergraduates, who may currently only obtain means-tested support worth £8,400 to £11,400 a year, mostly in the form of loans. By contrast, nursing, midwifery and paramedic students receive non-means tested bursaries of £10,000 in each of their first three years and £7,500 in their fourth year.

The Scottish Government has also announced plans for a social work apprenticeship – open to those with or without a degree – to provide a new route into the profession in Scotland.

Decrease in student numbers linked to poverty

A spokesperson for the SSSC said: ‘There has been a slight decrease in social work student numbers and HEIs have cited a reduction in applications in part due to student poverty and financial/ cost of living pressures.”

For SASW, national director Alison Bavidge: “The fall in numbers of social work students is in the context of almost existential crisis of funding for services, sky-high workloads and burnout.

“To address this we must support students with fair bursaries and good quality placements and also make social work a more attractive profession to enter and stay working in. We know how rewarding social work can be but the unsustainable and ever-increasing pressures being faced by those who join the profession are taking the joy out of our work.”

Apprenticeship scheme ‘must be rolled out quickly’

She backed for an apprenticeship, adding: “This will enable an earn-as-you-learn, workplace route into the profession, culminating in a social work degree and hopefully a post as a NQSW. This is very much welcomed and needs to be rolled out quickly.”

However, while welcoming improvements in support for postgraduate students, Bavidge said that “undergraduate students still lack support and there is still no parity with other public sector professions”.

Leadership body Social Work Scotland also expressed hope in the impact of the apprenticeship.

‘More routes into social work needed’

“We hope to see more new routes into social work to help mitigate the reported reduction in workforce numbers and welcome the recent Scottish Government announcement regarding the social work graduate apprenticeship programme,” a spokesperson said.

“Implemented well and resourced appropriately, this programme will help the profession grow whilst also promoting an inclusive and diverse workforce.”

The number of registered social workers in Scotland rose for the second consecutive year, increasing from 10,826 to 10,914 in 2023-24, according to the SSSC’s figures.