Post on 30-Dec-2015
International care workers in EnglandInternational care workers in England
Shereen Hussein
Jill Manthorpe
Martin Stevens
Social Care Workforce Research Unit
King’s College London
Photos from Tricycle Theatre, Let There be Love
Shereen Hussein
Jill Manthorpe
Martin Stevens
Social Care Workforce Research Unit
King’s College London
Photos from Tricycle Theatre, Let There be Love
1
International care workers in the UK: a long history
International care workers in the UK: a long history
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‘They were not unkind, as far as I could see, but they were mostly Filipino or Indonesian young men, who spoke little or no English, and it had obviously not occurred to any of them to take a nearly blind man to the balcony and make sure that he knew how to find his way there and back.’
(Local authority home in the East End post-war)
Recent EU changesRecent EU changes
‘He’d worked it out. He’d go in to Ferndale (care home) at nine in the morning and stay till three or four, after serving a hot lunch and preparing the cold suppers. Then he’d get to Panno’s at five. Work till twelve or one..’
(Polish migrant with chance work in care home and in
local café)
‘He’d worked it out. He’d go in to Ferndale (care home) at nine in the morning and stay till three or four, after serving a hot lunch and preparing the cold suppers. Then he’d get to Panno’s at five. Work till twelve or one..’
(Polish migrant with chance work in care home and in
local café)
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This studyThis study
Funded by the Social Care Workforce Research Initiative of the Department of Health
1. Review of literature, interviews with recruitment agencies & key stakeholders (35 interviews)
2. Analysis of national statistical data (international social workers - 7K; and recent migrants working in the care sector NMDS-SC 5K)
3. In-depth 6 case study sites interviewing international staff, their colleagues/managers and service users/carers (196)
4. Interviews with a national sample of asylums/refugees and people working with them (23)
Funded by the Social Care Workforce Research Initiative of the Department of Health
1. Review of literature, interviews with recruitment agencies & key stakeholders (35 interviews)
2. Analysis of national statistical data (international social workers - 7K; and recent migrants working in the care sector NMDS-SC 5K)
3. In-depth 6 case study sites interviewing international staff, their colleagues/managers and service users/carers (196)
4. Interviews with a national sample of asylums/refugees and people working with them (23)
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Key FindingsKey Findings
Changes in migrant workers’ home country: less global more EU
Migrant care workers are different Why Lessons from experience
Changes in migrant workers’ home country: less global more EU
Migrant care workers are different Why Lessons from experience
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Changes in international recruits – more EU less global
Changes in international recruits – more EU less global
‘Process of employing from overseas can be off putting… Government should make overseas employment procedures more streamlined – visa and sponsorship requirements are burdensome.’
Recruitment manager, 003
‘Process of employing from overseas can be off putting… Government should make overseas employment procedures more streamlined – visa and sponsorship requirements are burdensome.’
Recruitment manager, 003
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EU attractionsEU attractions
‘We want hard working people and people coming in from the Eastern bloc are more hard working, or can be, than some of the people who are already existing in the market here.’
Agency director, 018
‘We want hard working people and people coming in from the Eastern bloc are more hard working, or can be, than some of the people who are already existing in the market here.’
Agency director, 018
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Recently recruited social care workers ‘from abroad’
Recently recruited social care workers ‘from abroad’
Significantly younger than other workers Slightly but not significantly more men (particularly
among care workers) Better qualified (particularly among care and senior
care workers) Care workers recruited from abroad are more likely to
be of ‘other white’ ethnicity Senior care workers are more likely to be of ‘Asian’
ethnicity Less likely to hold managerial roles
Significantly younger than other workers Slightly but not significantly more men (particularly
among care workers) Better qualified (particularly among care and senior
care workers) Care workers recruited from abroad are more likely to
be of ‘other white’ ethnicity Senior care workers are more likely to be of ‘Asian’
ethnicity Less likely to hold managerial roles
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Perceived benefitsPerceived benefits Take up hard to fill jobs- demand unlikely to
decline in the near future: Even with current economic downturn
Possess some highly valued qualities: Hard working Highly motivated Caring Appreciate their jobs Highly qualified (skills disposition)
Take up hard to fill jobs- demand unlikely to decline in the near future: Even with current economic downturn
Possess some highly valued qualities: Hard working Highly motivated Caring Appreciate their jobs Highly qualified (skills disposition)
Lessons from experienceLessons from experience
Communication and language problems Culture and soft skills Recruitment routes
Recruited from abroad - visible need for support Recruited from the UK - no visible needs
Discrimination and racism Work environment Service users
Communication and language problems Culture and soft skills Recruitment routes
Recruited from abroad - visible need for support Recruited from the UK - no visible needs
Discrimination and racism Work environment Service users
Language and cultural issuesLanguage and cultural issues
‘We have turned quite a large number [of Polish workers] away. We’ve had quite a few applications but because of the language problem we’ve had to turn people away. We’ve said, ‘when your English improves come back to us, but your standard of English isn’t adequate at the moment’.’
Managing director of employment agency, 020
‘We have turned quite a large number [of Polish workers] away. We’ve had quite a few applications but because of the language problem we’ve had to turn people away. We’ve said, ‘when your English improves come back to us, but your standard of English isn’t adequate at the moment’.’
Managing director of employment agency, 020
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Recommendations: information levels
Recommendations: information levels
Differentiate international workers (differences between language student and refugee…between senior care worker with visa and ‘grey economy’)
Differences between those recruited in UK and outside EU
Better data collection (not more but tweak NMDS-SC)
Differentiate international workers (differences between language student and refugee…between senior care worker with visa and ‘grey economy’)
Differences between those recruited in UK and outside EU
Better data collection (not more but tweak NMDS-SC)
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For managersFor managers
Foster and share skills in managing diverse staff teams
Consider responses to racism in context of challenging behaviour
To promote retention consider and address motivations (often complex)
To foster recruitment consider groups such as students and refugees
Foster and share skills in managing diverse staff teams
Consider responses to racism in context of challenging behaviour
To promote retention consider and address motivations (often complex)
To foster recruitment consider groups such as students and refugees
Wider issuesWider issues
Raise questions of policy clash (such as exclusion from training to push for training)
Monitor effects of points systems Better information on social care practice eg
through SCIE Explain delays in qualifications recognition,
etc. Role models and recognition
Raise questions of policy clash (such as exclusion from training to push for training)
Monitor effects of points systems Better information on social care practice eg
through SCIE Explain delays in qualifications recognition,
etc. Role models and recognition
Thank youThank you
Dr Shereen Hussein: shereen.hussein@kcl.ac.uk
Prof Jill Manthorpe: jill.manthorpe@kcl.ac.uk
Dr Martin Stevens: martin.stevens@kcl.ac.uk
Dr Shereen Hussein: shereen.hussein@kcl.ac.uk
Prof Jill Manthorpe: jill.manthorpe@kcl.ac.uk
Dr Martin Stevens: martin.stevens@kcl.ac.uk