International care workers in England

1. International 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

2. International care workers in the UK: a long history • ‘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)

3. Recent 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)

4. This study Funded by the Social Care Workforce Research Initiative of the Department of Health Review of literature, interviews with recruitment agencies & key stakeholders (35 interviews) Analysis of national statistical data (international social workers - 7K; and recent migrants working in the care sector NMDS-SC 5K) In-depth 6 case study sites interviewing international staff, their colleagues/managers and service users/carers (196) Interviews with a national sample of asylums/refugees and people working with them (23)

5. Key Findings Changes in migrant workers’ home country: less global more EU Migrant care workers are different Why Lessons from experience

6. 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

7. EU 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

8. 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

9. Perceived 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)

10. Lessons 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

11. Language 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

12. 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)

13. For 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

14. Wider 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

15. Thank 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