SOCIAL workers will be recruited from overseas to help plug a staffing shortage and cut agency costs.

Leeds City Council is planning to spend up to £270,000 to recruit 15 workers from abroad over the next three years.

The council’s Adult Social Care (ASC) service will extend an existing contract with recruitment firm Reed Talent Solutions as part of the arrangement.

A council report warned that the staffing shortage was leading to delays for people in need of social work assessments.

A national shortage of social workers meant the council would struggle to recruit to the roles from this country.

The report said: “Recruitment and selection remains a challenge for the service, and this is coupled with long waiting lists and backlogs of people waiting for assessments of their needs.

“The system is under severe pressure, and it is imperative that social worker vacancies are filled on a permanent basis.”

The report said agency staff were being used to cover maternity leave and fill vacancies, leading to higher costs.

The cost of paying for agency social workers was £35 per hour, while permanent council employees were costing less than £25.

The report said: “The higher agency costs reflect the constricted labour market and demonstrates the financial benefit of moving from agency to permanent employment.

“This equates to a saving in the region of 30 per cent.”

Relocation costs of around £8,000 per person will be paid as part of the recruitment process.

The cost of hiring the overseas staff includes £103,000 paid directly to Reed for managing the recruitment campaign.