A DECLINE in the number of social workers in Dorset could result in children "slipping through the net", warns a children's charity.

According to figures released by the Department for Education Dorset has seen the second steepest fall of social workers across the UK between 2014 and 2015.

Only Havering in east London exceeded Dorset’s 26 per cent reduction in full-time staff - which saw numbers fall from 244 to 181 within a 12 month period.

The figures also show that more social workers in Dorset are leaving the profession with 29 people leaving their jobs in the year up to September 2015, compared to just 12 the year before.

That resulted in a total of 44 vacancies in September 2015, up from nine a year earlier.

The figures also revealed that agency workers were being relied upon to fill nearly half of the vacancies.

However, regionally, the number of children's social workers rose in the South West of England from 2,330 in September 2014 to 2,430 a year later.

An NSPCC spokesman for the South West said: “Social workers play a vital role in protecting children in communities up and down the country and whilst high profile cases may be adding to the pressure felt by some in the profession, they also emphasise the essential role that social workers can play in preventing tragedies occurring.

“At a time when the number of referrals to external agencies is on the rise, Local Authorities need to ensure that any professional vacancies don’t enable children who are in need of protection to slip through the net.

"In 2014/15 ChildLine made 3,714 referrals on behalf of 3,379 children to external agencies – a staggering 72 per cent increase on the previous year.

“In addition, the high turnover of social workers in some councils is a worrying trend.

"Vulnerable children can understandably have a range of complex problems as a result of abuse or neglect and often rely on consistent and familiar contact with child protection professionals.”