The migration of social workers to and from the United Kingdom: a comparative perspective

ABSTRACT

This article reports findings from a large mixed-method study exploring the migration to the United Kingdom (UK) of social workers trained in Australia, Canada, India, Romania, South Africa, the US, and Zimbabwe, and the migration of British trained social workers to Australia. The project aimed at exploring the motivations for migration, the experiences of integration, and the impact of culture on these. This article focuses on the quantitative findings and will use some of the qualitative data to further explain and interrogate the differences between these groups based on their country of origin. The findings show the greater challenges migrants from developing countries have experienced, including lack of recognition of their qualifications and experience, and discrimination. The findings also show that contrary to common assumptions, the migration experiences of social workers coming from Australia, Canada and the US are not as easy as expected. American social workers who migrated to the UK turned out to be the group least professionally satisfied. The British in Australia on the other hand, were the most satisfied. Implications for practice and future research are explored.

KEYWORDS:

• Migration
• comparative research
• culture
• United Kingdom

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the research participants who shared their views as well as the anonymous reviewers of the journal for their very helpful comments and feedback.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Yohai Hakak

Yohai Hakak is a senior lecturer in social work at Brunel University London. His practice background is in mental health social work. Yohai’s research interests are in cultural and religious minorities, the sociology of risk-perception, youth, parenting, gender and mental health, and in the connection of these areas with social work.

Glory Alade

Glory Alade-Thompson is a qualified social worker. Originally from Nigeria, she immigrated to the UK in 2013 where she studied Law and qualified as a solicitor and advocate of the supreme court of Nigeria. Following Master’s in Law and Social Work in the UK, she has been working with children, young people and families.

Kwaku Amponsah

Kwaku Amponsah is a qualified Social Worker, originally from Ghana, West Africa and migrated to the UK in 2002. Following completion of a First Degree in Business Administration at the Hertfordshire University and a Masters in Social Work at Brunel University, now works in Adult Social Care, Brent Council.

Simona Anton

Simona Anton is a qualified social worker. Originally from Romania, she immigrated to the UK in 2009 where she studied Anthropology. Following completion of a Master’s in social work at Brunel University, she has been working with children and families.

Sophia Bosah

Sophia Bosah is a British Nigerian, qualified social worker in a Children’s safeguarding and family support team. She has an undergraduate degree in Law and completed a master’s degree in social work at Brunel University. Sophia is passionate about encouraging young people to enjoy education and be inspired to learn, and she volunteers in schools where she pursues this passion.

Gladys Bozorgisarn

Gladys Bozorgisaran obtained a Master’s degree in Social Work from Brunel University, following a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of East London. She is originally from Ecuador where she practiced as a Languages teacher for over 10 years. Gladys lives in London and works as a Mental Health Crisis Practitioner in the NHS.

Toks Francis

Toks Francis completed her Masters’ degree in Social Work at Brunel University London. She is a second-generation immigrant from Nigeria, West Africa. Toks is an adult mental health social work practitioner with the NHS. Her other publication: ‘ … And the people stayed home’, was published by the Social Work 2020 Covid-19 Magazine.

Ashley Kucherera

Ashley Kucherera is a qualified social worker with a Zimbabwean heritage. After studying Events management as a first degree, she decided to pursue a career that has a positive impact in people’s lives & wellbeing. Following completion of a Master’s in social work at Brunel University, she has been working with Adults with Learning disabilities & Autism.

Shirley Onokha

Shirley Onokha is a qualified social worker. Originally from Kenya/Uganda, she immigrated to the UK from Germany in 2010 where she studied Children’s Learning and Development in Early Years. Following completion of a Master’s in Social Work at Brunel University, she has been working with Adults.

Lucy Willet

Lucy Willett is a qualified social worker, who completed her undergraduate degree in Psychology and Neuroscience. After completing her master’s in social work at Brunel University, she now works as a hospital Social Worker in the adult mental health sector.

Kei Long Cheung

Kei Long Cheung is a lecturer in public health at Brunel University London. His research interest is in health behaviour-change, computer-tailored interventions, and approaches to co-create and innovate health communication programmes. Kei has experience in the award-winning European multidisciplinary EU-funded EQUIPT project and co-developed a training course on co-creation methods, behaviour-change, and innovative business models for digital health stakeholders. He leads the Master of Public Health and co-leads the Health Behaviour Change Research Group at the university. Additionally, Kei has expertise in different methods for eliciting preferences, e.g. the Delphi approach, best-worst scaling, interviews, and socio-cognitive behavioural-change studies.