Current practices and the potential for individuals with criminal records to gain qualifications or employment within social work: a scoping review

ABSTRACT

Social work has long-standing, well-recognized problems of recruitment and retention in England and many other jurisdictions. Policymakers and employers are exploring if there are untapped sources of potential employees. We conducted a scoping review in 2018 to explore current practices and the potential to employ people with criminal records in the social work profession in England. Eighteen studies were located and two themes were identified within these: 1) the potential for people with criminal records to gain qualifications in social work and 2) the potential for people with criminal records to gain employment within social work. More research is needed to establish evidence about current responses to applications from people with criminal records seeking to access training and employment. More evidence is also needed about current practices in decision-making by all parties, together with exploration of people with criminal records’ experiences of gaining qualifications in social work and then seeking employment, changing employers and pursuing career progression.

KEYWORDS:

• Social work
• criminal record
• criminal history
• ex-offender
• employment
• education
• training

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This study is funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Policy Research Programme (Policy Research Unit in Health and Social Care Workforce: Ref. PR-PRU-1217-21002). The views expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the NHS, the NIHR, the Department of Health and Social Care or its arm’s length bodies or other government departments.

Notes on contributors

Stephanie Bramley

Stephanie Bramley is a Research Associate at the NIHR Policy Research Unit on Health and Social Care Workforce at King's College London.  She conducts research about the health and social care workforce and the impact of gambling-related harms for vulnerable groups.

Caroline Norrie

Caroline Norrie is a Research Fellow at the NIHR Policy Research Unit on Health and Social Care Workforce at King's College London. Caroline’s research interests include older people and care homes; adult safeguarding; interprofessional working; gambling-related harm; and professional migration. Caroline is Chair of a KCL Ethics committee and Joint Book Review Editor for Ageing and Society. She also works as an advisor for the NIHR Research Design Service (RDS).

Jill Manthorpe

Jill Manthorpe is Professor of Social Work at King's College London and Director of the NIHR Policy Research Unit on Health and Social Care Workforce.  She has undertaken a wide variety of social work-related studies covering both adults' and children's services.