Record social worker levels

COUNCILS are employing more social workers than before, new figures have revealed.

The number employed rose by 35 per cent in the last ten years, the Scottish Government said.

A census from last October showed Scotland had 5,235 social workers, a rise of 3.2 per cent on the previous year.

Vacancy rates have fallen to below 6 per cent, compared with a high of 13 per cent in 2003 according to the figures. However, the overall number of social service staff fell slightly to around 41,700.

Children's minister Adam Ingram said he was "delighted" by the figures.