A national shortage of social workers is hitting Enfield council tax payers where it hurts in the pocket.

Enfield Council is forking out up to £600,000 a year employing agency staff to fill vacant positions, with many staff arriving from countries including Australia, India and South Africa to provide relief.

With demand for social workers greater than supply, council bosses should urgently review current recruitment strategies, states a report produced by the social services scrutiny panel.

Options to be considered, to fill 29 vacancies, include producing stronger campaigns to promote social work locally, increasing pay and exploring ways to encourage agency staff to become full-time employees.

The effectiveness of the council's grow your own' scheme, which gives unqualified support staff the chance to train as a social worker at Middlesex University, also faces a review.

Social work courses have increased from two to three years, which means the council is missing out on a year's supply of newly qualified social workers.

The report warns if steps are not taken soon, vacancies will lead to spiralling agency costs and a high turnover of staff which could demoralise full-time employees and damage quality of care.

"Given the pressures, it would seem inevitable some decisions must be taken with regard to the recruitment and retention of social workers," states the report.

"A clear strategy can be developed on the back of any of the options mentioned in order to provide not just short-term gains in terms of pay, but also a wider notion staff feel valued within the organisation," it continued.

A council spokesman said Enfield was currently considering the best way to review the level of renumeration to ensure the most effective recruitment of key social work staff.

Andrew Fraser, Enfield Council's assistant director for children and families, added: "The recent joint area review inspection highlighted the performance of children's services as excellent'.

"A national shortage of qualified social workers is particularly acute in London and all London boroughs are having to deal with these issues.

"In many cases it is not possible to maintain a safe and effective service without using agency staff cover.

"This is expensive and does not provide for continuity for users of the service, which is why Enfield is working extremely hard to recruit permanent staff."