Council launches Romanian recruitment drive to fill social work vacancies
Council launches Romanian recruitment drive to fill social work vacancies
By Neil Puffett
| 20 February 2015
A troubled children’s services department has launched a social worker recruitment drive in Romania because it is struggling to fill vacancies with candidates in England.
d09f2d68-a208-89c8-7e9a65b70e4e2d35-jpg
Buckinghamshire County Council is struggling to attract children's social workers. Picture: Jason Bye
The move is part of an ongoing improvement plan adopted by Buckinghamshire County Council after Ofsted rated the department as “inadequate” last year.
Inspectors highlighted high caseloads for social workers and use of temporary managers as particular areas of concern, claiming that too many children were being left at risk.
Last week the authority announced it is offering children’s social workers incentive payments of more than £5,000 to join, as well as retention bonuses of £3,250 for existing social care workers.
It has now emerged that the authority has broadened its search for staff, launching recruitment campaigns in Romania and Northern Ireland.
A progress report due to be discussed by politicians at the authority on Monday (23 February) reveals that if the council is unable to attract and retain experienced and qualified staff, it will be unable to meet the improvement plan targets and improve children’s safeguarding.
“To recruit and retain permanent social work staff, a new package of terms and conditions have been approved and national and overseas recruitment campaigns have been launched,” the document states.
It adds that the recruitment campaigns have been launched in both Romania and Northern Ireland, to "ensure all children have a permanent social worker".
Gill Quinton, managing director for business enterprise and shared services at Buckinghamshire County Council, told CYP Now that the authority currently has 60 vacant social work positions, of which 50 are filled by costly agency staff on a temporary basis.
"We had advice from a specialist agency that Northern Ireland and Romania were good places to look both in terms of supply and quality.
Staff from the authority have visited Romania and received more than 100 CVs during their visit. They will be returning next week to interview candidates with a view to appointing 20 Romanians.
Quinton said transition arrangements are being finalised to ensure overseas recruits are familiar with differences in practice, can find accommodation, and are able to settle in England.
News that Buckinghamshire Council is recruiting from Romania and Northern Ireland follows a drive by Northamptonshire County Council to recruit staff from India.
It is understood several other authorities are also in the process of recruiting from overseas.
The College of Social Work said it is a "real worry" that some local authorities are struggling to recruit.
"A shortage of social workers will have knock-on impacts for the wellbeing of our communities," said Jo Cleary, chair of The College of Social Work.
"We must ensure that we are properly nurturing students and newly-qualified social workers, and building a strong professional identity for social work.
"For employers, sound investment in social work will pay dividends – we know that our members value good supervision, manageable caseloads and ongoing professional development, and that these all contribute to job satisfaction and retention.”
Cleary added that the Health and Care Professions Council, the social work regulator, has a role in ensuring that overseas social workers have an equivalent qualification.
Statistics published by the Department for Education last year showed that 3,800 children's social workers are needed to fill vacancies across councils in England.
- See more at: http://www.cypnow.co.uk/cyp/news/1149878/council-launches-romanian-recruitment-drive-social-vacancies#sthash.1YiVEY5c.dpuf