‘London calling’: the experiences of international social work recruits working in London
Article
Hanna, Sue and Lyons, Karen (2017) 'London calling': the experiences of international social work recruits working in London. British Journal of Social Work, 47. pp. 719-736. ISSN 0045-3102
Item Type:
Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:
International Social Worker; labour mobility; child protection; England
The recruitment of international social workers (ISWs) in England has been primarily aimed at ‘plugging the gaps’ in the child protection services. This paper reports on one aspect of a qualitative research project investigating the post-arrival integration, professional practice and development of ‘international social workers’, namely those trained and qualified outside of the UK working in London and the Home Counties. Findings demonstrate that, as well as being a challenging professional and work experience, this form of labour mobility is a profound life event for most ISWs and, as with human migration in other fields and countries, entails a complex social, emotional and cultural transition.