Will price caps solve the pay gap between agency and permanent social workers?

In February, the Department for Education (DfE) proposed national rules to regulate councils’ use of agency staff in children’s services, including price caps on what they could pay for locums.
The policy – part of the DfE’s response to the care review – is set to come into force in spring 2024, but is controversial in the sector, as evidenced by two recent Community Care articles.
Kate Shoesmith, deputy chief executive of agency body the Recruitment and Employment