Permanent Supports or Temporary Props? Supply Workers in State Schools and the National Health Service

Supply teachers are playing a growing role in many schools across England and Wales as a result of staff shortages and the demands of implementing the 1988 Education Reform Act. However, little research has been conducted into this female dominated section of the teaching force despite governmental concern about the motivation and recruitment of supply teachers, and recent deteriorations in their pay and conditions of service. This paper uses data from a comparative case‐study of cover arrangements in a ‘Shire’ Local Education Authority and District Health Authority to examine three issues relevant to the future of supply workers. First, the motivation and domestic contexts of those becoming supply workers are identified. Second, I examine how these variables shape individuals’ experiences of casual work. Both of these factors play a significant part in determining whether supply workers intend to continue with their work. Finally, I identify local authority support structures as a central factor affecting the retention of supply workers. The comparative approach adopted here helps identify those variables affecting the motivation and continued availability of cover staff which are specific to schools, and those shared by at least one other local sector of the welfare state. The paper concludes by arguing that if local authority support for supply teachers continue to deteriorate, increasing numbers of casual staff are likely to look for alternative forms of employment.