Agency child and family social workers: data return and price caps

Guidance around the quarterly statutory data collection on the use and pay of agency child and family social workers and the development and implementation of price caps.

The guidance includes information on:

• the data being collected
• the supporting rationale
• submitting the data
• dashboards and data access
• job mapping
• data protection
• price caps
• high-level timelines

The agency rules statutory guidance, which came into effect on 31 October 2024, is available.

Support and resources

DfE funded Research in Practice to develop resources to support the implementation of the agency rules statutory guidance. Developed in collaboration with Essex County Council and King’s College London, and in consultation with local government and the recruitment sector, thesethey resources are intended to complement the agency rules statutory guidance and this data and price caps operational guidance.

The resources are available on the support for social workers platform.