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Social workers undergo continuous performance evaluation through supervision, management meetings and annual appraisals.
While managers are similar appraised by those at even higher levels of seniority, some have argued that practitioners should be able to have their say on the performance of those they report into.
A 2024 Community Care poll found that social workers were more likely to leave an employer over unsupportive management than pay – and enabling them to appraise their managers may be one way of addressing this.
“All managers should be accountable to workers and service users, and we should be able to give feedback on their performance, as they do on ours,” said one practitioner, in a recent article about social workers’ views of management.
But do social workers agree?
A Community Care poll of around 1250 respondents found that 86% believed managers should be reviewed by their staff as part of their annual appraisals, in order to “ensure accountability”.
Only 14% felt this would add to “the already significant pressures on managers”.
‘Managers should be subject to scrutiny’
“Social work managers should be subject to much more scrutiny than they are, because ultimately their team depends upon them and looks to them for advice and guidance,” commented Mark.
Another social worker, Sara, described management in the sector as “out of touch” with frontline realities.
“If you raise an issue about workload, it is your fault,” she added. “If a client complains, it is your fault.
“I love social work, but hate the office politics, blame culture. If you speak up, you are classed as a trouble maker, then you are ostracised by managers and in the worst case get moved to another team.”
‘The very best managers know what it means to be compassionate’
Rose highlighted the stark contrast between good and poor leadership, stressing that “the very best managers” are those who are “compassionate and encouraging.”
“I have had the very best and very worst of managers in my 13 years in children’s social care,” she said.
“The difference between them was not what pressures they were under themselves, or issues of having to meet unrealistic targets. It was a sound understanding of what it means and looks like to be compassionate, empathic, supportive and encouraging.”
Celebrate those who’ve inspired you
Photo by Daniel Laflor/peopleimages.com/ AdobeStock
Do you have a colleague, mentor, or social work figure you can’t help but gush about?
Our My Brilliant Colleague series invites you to celebrate anyone within social work who has inspired you – whether current or former colleagues, managers, students, lecturers, mentors or prominent past or present sector figures whom you have admired from afar.
Nominate your colleague or social work inspiration by filling in our nominations form with a few paragraphs (100-250 words) explaining how and why the person has inspired you.
*Please note that, despite the need to provide your name and role, you or the nominee can be anonymous in the published entry*
If you have any questions, email our community journalist, Anastasia Koutsounia, at anastasia.koutsounia@markallengroup.com
Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole 
Hampshire County Council 
Oxfordshire County Council 
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Wokingham Borough Council 
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Podcast: returning to social work after becoming a first-time parent 
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Workforce Insights – showcasing a selection of the sector’s top recruiters 
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I think managers should be appraised by the staff they manage, not just by the social workers, and I also think social workers should also be appraised by their peers. It’s easy to blame managers for being out of touch or perhaps even a little authoritarian but every social worker knows a peer who is an excuse churning social worker who never has time to make the working day a bit better for those they work alongside. Sadly social work is a truth hiding silence valuing culture when it comes to how some social workers suck the life out of any room they are in. Let’s appraise each other too so that at least there is a dialogue. As for the “we are too busy to take on yet another task” mob, perhaps a touch of honesty and appreciation of how peers perceive each other might relieve the constant angst.
I fully support the idea that managers should be appraised by practitioners. As a locum social worker, I have worked across multiple local authorities, often covering staff absences due to sickness or other reasons. Through this experience, I have observed that a manager’s approach and behaviour can have a direct impact on staff well-being, including high levels of sickness absence.
Some managers focus heavily on data while overlooking the quality and context of the work being carried out. However, effective social work requires more than just performance metrics—it demands an understanding of frontline challenges and the ability to support practitioners in delivering high-quality interventions.
Additionally, not all social workers are suited to managerial roles, and there should be no stigma attached to remaining in frontline practice. Career progression does not have to mean moving into management, especially if doing so comes at the cost of effective social work practice. Social workers’ skills and experience should be valued, not overshadowed by a managerial focus on data at the expense of practitioner well-being and service quality.