The HSE compiles a monthly census of employment in the public health and social care sector. The figures indicate that the number of individual social workers employed in the Children and Families Service area of the HSE was 1,325 in February 2011 and 1,411 at the end of July 2012, which is the latest month for which data is available.
The National Employment Monitoring Unit within the HSE has advised that work is ongoing with regard to disaggregating the Children and Families resource base from the HSE as part of the process of establishing the new Child and Family Support Agency next year. Consequently the number of social workers assigned to the Children and Families Service area may change as the mapping/classification of posts into care groups is further refined between now and year end.