"Golden hellos" will be offered to every newly qualified social worker that comes to Kent, in an attempt to address a perpetual recruitment problem, writes Kent Online.

Recruited professionals will be given £2,000 and those who work in child protection can receive bonuses of up to £3,000 per year, should they reach prescribed targets.

Kent County Council have proposed the financial incentives as a way to try and tackle their beleaguered services to vulnerable children. An unfavourable Ofsted inspection last year picked up on the issue of staff shortages.

Figures reveal that currently, the council is filling the gap with temporary workers and by recruiting overseas, but social services are hopeful that the new scheme will help them employ 110 new social workers this year.

In addition, nearly 250 more experienced social workers are to receive a 2.5 per cent pay increase, to make sure their salaries stayed above that of less experienced colleagues.

New social workers in Kent can expect to start on an annual salary of £26,422, which is slightly behind other authorities in the South East. Experienced social workers can earn between £30,220 and £35,724.

Remaining positive, Kent County Council's Malcolm Newsam said on kentbusiness.co.uk that the strategy "is going to do two things - retain our best people and attract experienced social workers to come to Kent."