Qualified social workers are being made to spend too long waiting in courtrooms, according to a new report commissioned by the LGA.

Researchers at Loughborough University were commissioned by the Local Government Association to review recommendations into how those in social work jobs interacted with the courts and legal system. They found that many local authorities feel that judges undervalue social workers, both in refusing care applications and in making them wait excessive amounts of time.

The report states that "workers reported that to obtain a care order, they would spend on average 20 hours waiting in court." It also noted that though "experts such as hospital consultants are not expected to wait in court all day to give evidence, [but] social workers are, meaning they are not able to use the time available more effectively."

Shireen Ritchie, chair of the LGA's children and young people board, said that it was essential that social workers are recognised by the court.

"The report shows that social workers are not being treated with the same respect as other professionals. I'm not sure why this situation has come about - I think it's practice that has become embedded in the legal system over time," said Ritchie. "But social workers are experts in their own field and we need to ensure they are taken seriously in court."

The chair of the Health Care and Additional Needs Policy Committee, Ann Baxter, expressed similar sentiments. Baxter said that it was "essential" that the "profile and status" of  those in social work jobs is raised so that their expertise "can contribute to these crucial decisions about the welfare of the most vulnerable children."