Social worker Vince Lake said staff shortages cause difficulties

It is estimated that, on any given day, one in 10 social work posts are vacant.

A lack of esteem from the public and relatively low pay are also blamed for difficulties encouraging people to join the service and stay in it.

The assembly government's Health and Social Services Minister Jane Hutt said she was putting the issue of social workers at the top of her agenda.

Tony Garthwaite, from the association of directors of social services, revealed the scale of the problem.

"In Wales, out of a workforce of approximately 2,000, probably about 200 of those posts are vacant on any given day," he said.

"Sickness and holidays, coupled with the vacancy rate, would probably mean the actual shortage is nearer 30-40%."

Tony Garthwaite revealed the scale of the problem

He also said it was time for a pay review in the service.

Paul Elliott, from the union Unison, said it was important to have "a salary that attracts people into the social work profession and that we have manageable workloads".

Vince Lake, a social worker in Bridgend, said stress levels increased when staff numbers are low.

"There are times when it is very very difficult - resources are short and staff are short," he said.

"At the end of the day, you don't want the person receiving the service to be suffering."

Social worker Lona Roberts said the profession was held in low esteem by the public "for all kinds of reasons".

"Perhaps we have our own faults, but society and many different people look down on us," she said.

"But we know we are doing a good job.

Social worker Lona Roberts said the profession was held in low esteem

The assembly government has put �1m in a project to encourage people to join the service, and bursaries of �2,500 are being promised to social work students from 2004.

But Penny Lloyd, British Association of Social Workers, said the bursaries were being introduced a year earlier in England.

"In Wales, it will start next year - this means some college courses have students who live in England who have a bursary and some who live in Wales who don't," she said.

"I personally think this is a missed opportunity."

Health and Social Services Minister Jane Hutt said it was clear more social workers were needed.

"We are investing in training and keeping social workers - we are putting social work right at the top of our agenda

"We don't give them enough public and political attention."

She also said she would support a review into social workers' pay and conditions.