Ministers told children’s services should recruit foreign social workers

Directors of children’s services have won an important stage in their battle to continue hiring social workers from abroad.

The Migration Advisory Committee is to recommend to ministers that children and family social work should remain on the list of occupations classified as having a shortage.

The committee had been reviewing the list, whereby applicants from abroad can get a fast track working visa, in the light of the current economic crisis.

Among those to submit evidence were the Association of Directors of Children’s Services which argued that councils were still struggling to fill children and family social work roles despite the recession.

Professions to be cut from the list include adult social work. Jobs to be added include computer animators and contemporary dancers.

Committee chair Professor David Metcalf said: “It is important to note that some shortages of skilled labour will still exist in a recession. This can be where there is a long-term structural shortage of skilled workers, where workers provide key public services, or in areas such as culture where the UK needs to maintain global leadership.”