What does good look like? Supporting the recruitment and retention of social workers in coastal communities in England

Research Question

What does ‘good’ look like in relation to the recruitment and retention of social workers in England’s coastal communities? Background

The social work workforce is in crisis, typified by consistently poor working conditions, high vacancy rates, and growing use of agency staff. However, these issues are likely worse in coastal communities which have additional workforce challenges related to resourcing, housing, and a lack of educational opportunities. These factors, alongside challenges such as poorer health outcomes, an ageing population, and elevated levels of substance use, mean that social work services are vital in these communities.

Despite this, there is little research exploring the challenges facing the social work workforce in coastal communities – nor is this an area of consideration in national workforce initiatives. Aims and Objectives

The aims and objectives of this project are to understand what “good” looks like in relation to the recruitment and retention of social workers in England’s coastal communities. This is an area that is neglected across research, policy, and national initiatives. We will work with experts by experience to co-develop ‘Best Practice Guidance’.

Methods

The research takes place across five distinct but interrelated work packages. The project will run for 24 months from September 2024.

1. A rapid literature review of existing research around the recruitment and retention of social work-aligned professions. This will be supported by collecting data from employers and professional and political organisations to better understand actual turnover and vacancy rates in these areas – data which is otherwise not available (February 2025 to August 2025).

2. Interviews with social workers and former social workers from coastal communities, with additional emphasis on the experience of social workers from diverse backgrounds (February 2025 to August 2025).

3. Interviews with other stakeholders, including social work educators, employers, and local community representatives (February 2025 to August 2025).

4. Case study analysis of coastal employers of social workers with good and poor recruitment and retention (September 2025 to February 2026).

5. An appreciative inquiry approach to co-developing ‘Best Practice Guidance’, bringing together the findings of the research to this point, in collaboration with our PPI and advisory groups and participants recruited across the project (March 2026 to August 2026).

Every work package will be informed by engagement with experts by experience in the social care system. The research will also be underpinned by a critical realist perspective, recognising that social phenomena are generated by mechanisms that can be observed and understood through research. This perspective also informs the approach to data analysis via reflexive thematic analysis.

Impact and Dissemination

Dissemination plans include publications in industry outlets accessed by thousands of social workers/employers, as well as scientific articles. We will present at industry, research, employer- and policy-focused conferences. Our case study analyses, and ‘Best Practice Guidance’, will inform national workforce plans. As such we will foster ongoing engagement with relevant employers and national taskforces aimed at improving the recruitment and retention of social workers nationally.