Social service career for teachers - graduate jobs

Graduates training for teaching and law careers could be turned turn into social workers, under plans revealed by education secretary Ed Balls.

A damning report into child protection following the death of Baby Peter has triggered the proposals.

Despite being on Haringey Council's child protection register and being visited at least 60 times by social workers, the toddler suffered months of violent abuse from his mother, her boyfriend and their lodger.

Lord Laming headed a report calling for a "step change" in the way children were protected from harm after details of the death emerged.

The report claimed that insufficient progress had been made since the death of Victoria Climbie - another child murdered by relatives in the same London borough.

Now Mr Balls is set to present a new "on the job" social work qualification to the Association of Directors of Children's Services (ADCS).

The aim is to get 200 people who are changing career to become social workers, paying them £15,000 a year while they train.