 work. Apprenticeship programmes are likely to improve retention and have the 56 potential to increase access for UK minority ethnic participants and for mature applicants (Higgs, 2021). A growing number of local authorities are recruiting internationally, from South Africa, Zimbabwe, Nigeria, the Indian subcontinent and elsewhere.7 Most of the DCSs interviewed had only recently started this initiative and were either awaiting the arrival of workers or in the process of introducing workers to social work in England. These workers were offered the same, or similar, training as that offered to newly qualified UK trained workers. The increased numbers in the workforce are largely newly qualified social workers, which can create pressures on more experienced colleagues. In interviews and survey responses the lasting impact of the pandemic on the workforce was noted, both in relation to the loss of experienced staff and a legacy of gaps in experience for workers who qualified in the lockdown periods and had limited contact with families and colleagues (see Baginsky et al., 2024). About a third of DCSs reflected on the weariness of the social work workforce. A lack of public recognition of the role of social workers and the work they do, reinforced during pandemic, was seen to have contributed significantly. There was amazing work, but when teachers and nurses were applauded, social workers did not receive the recognition for making face-to-face child protection visits, etc. There is a weariness, and then the additional pressures and the financial challenges make it a very tough context. (DCS, County, South West Region) Survey respondents found child protection and court social work the most challenging areas to recruit to, as well as specialist roles such as in pre-birth tea