Migrant Workers In Social Care

Liz Willetts, Head of Education and Training at the Social Care Association brings us a news of a unique new project…

A recent article in Care Appointments highlighted the growing problem of high turnover of migrant workers in the social care workforce and the impact this has on service users. The article referred to recent research by the Institute of Ageing at Oxford University, but that was just one example. This is a topical issue that appears in the media as well as in research publications in a variety of ways.

Cardinal Cormac Murphy O`Connor used the feast day of St Joseph the Worker ( May 7th) to campaign for asylum seekers to be welcomed and helped into work, and to be accorded the dignity and recognition due to people who contribute their skills and labour to society.

An undercover journalist from Lithuania featured recently in a BBC documentary showing the appalling housing, unsafe working conditions and exploitation experienced by migrant workers. These are emotive headline-grabbing issues, but regardless of the legal concerns, or the short-lived high media profile, the conditions and circumstances in which migrant workers in the care sector find themselves, are undoubtedly  linked to the quality of service experienced by some of the most vulnerable people in the community – those receiving care.

The Social Care Association has an interest in all this, on two counts. First of all, it is an organisation whose main aim is to promote good practice in care services. It also exists to support its members, and other workers in the care sector. The recent research findings are useful, because for some time now we have been exploring the possibility of setting up a series of events to address the needs of migrant workers, as important contributors to care provision. This goes hand in hand with the ongoing need in the care sector to recruit more workers, to meet growing demand, and the need to raise the profile and status of caring jobs.

At SCA we are aiming to run a series of one-day events for migrant workers, women returners, and people making career changes (for example, people who have retired from the police service or armed forces at a relatively young age and who want to continue to work). We want to encourage them to consider a career in social care, not as a ‘stepping stone’ to something else – one of the reasons for the high turnover so disruptive for service users – but as a genuinely aspirational choice. People need to recognise that there are opportunities for development and training, and perhaps more importantly that there are resources available to help and support them in the transitional phase of being new to the role.

In the case of migrant workers, the events will focus partly on information about the culture and values that underpin care services in Scotland. Many will be well qualified in their own country of origin, and have transferable skills, but as newcomers it’s hard to know how this will work until they understand what they are transferring to. Getting to grips with what agencies are responsible for which services, and who liaises with whom can be difficult enough for someone who has grown up with the Welfare State, National Health Service, local authorities providing social care, and a diverse and complex voluntary sector. It is even harder for people whose training and work experience has been based on different traditions and relationships.

Language and communication skills are other areas where support is important. Some people will perhaps need signposting to specific language learning resources. It is one thing to be confident and competent at a conversational level, but it probably feels like a different language altogether when you are confronted with jargon, or professional formality, or legal terminology. And ‘getting the gist of it’ is not enough in relation to many procedural guidelines and policy documents. People need to feel that they will be supported and helped to learn, rather than feeling de-skilled and reluctant to ask questions for fear of looking incompetent.

The subtleties of body language – things like eye-contact, touch, and personal space for example – vary greatly from one culture to another. Being aware of the potential differences and observing interactions, for example using video resources not dependent on language, can help to raise participants awareness, in a way that enables them to communicate effectively and comfortably with service users.

It is important to include employers in projects that aim to encourage and support migrant workers. Managers involved in the recruitment and selection process need to know how to recognise and draw out transferable skills, and how to help potential new members of staff to make the transition successfully. Induction and training requirements need to be tailored to ensure that people moving into unfamiliar territory are well supported. Quite apart from effect on the quality of services , there is a strong business case for good induction and ongoing support if this means that staff are retained for longer.

Ultimately, the quality of care experienced by those who need it is only as good as the person who is delivering it. They are the point of connection, and it is to everyone’s benefit to help them to be as good as they can be.

For more details of this project, please contact: [email protected]