Social care chiefs are working with education bosses in a bid to find more qualified social workers for children.

Health and Social Care Minister Kate Beecroft said the number of permanent employees in the children and families division - as opposed to agency social workers - had increased.

There were 27 main grade qualified social workers, with eight from an agency.

Of the nine operational managers, four are from an agency. Three senior managers are employed by the department, which is sponsoring five local workers to become qualified social workers.

Social workers are also exempt from work permit restrictions, in recognition of the ’acute’ shortage.

’We are continuing to explore ways of working with the Department of Education and Children to develop a training pathway for social workers,’ Mrs Beecroft told the House of Keys.