Suchergebnisse

There are long-standing concerns of inequalities in the workplace among minority ethnic (ME) workers in the UK health and social care (H&SC) sectors. ME workers contribute significantly to H&SC delivery. However, there is considerable evidence of substantial negative experiences among this group across various workplace indicators and outcomes, including (mis)treatment. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated these inequalities with higher infection rates and related deaths among ME health and care workers. A rapid review methodology was employed to examine the work experiences and outcomes of ME workers in H&SC in the UK, focusing on low paid workers. The review identified fifty-one relevant outputs, detailing the nature and extent of inequalities across recruitment, career progression and treatment at work, including bullying and harassment. The findings highlight the impact of the intersectionality of gender, race and migration status concerning the ways inequalities are manifested and operated through individual perceptions and institutional and structural racism.

Social workers are increasingly globally mobile, pursuing employment opportunities that combine professional and lifestyle projects. Social work skills and practice are embedded in cultural, linguistic and nation-specific legislative competencies. The current article engages with the interplay of a fast-moving social work and immigration policy context and the role of inter-European social workers, using England as a case study of destination. Based on registration data of non-UK qualified social workers (2003–2017), a survey of 97 stakeholders from 27 European Union countries and focus group discussions, it investigates trends and challenges of transnational social workers (TSWs) in England. The findings highlight a dynamic process of social work education and immigration policy reforms during the past decade that was associated with a significant change in the volume and profile of TSWs registered to work in England. Data from European stakeholders further highlight two key findings: first, there is evidence of an increased role of inter-European social workers in most of Western European countries; second, the process of social work qualifications' recognition within Europe remains considerably variable. The implications of the findings are discussed within the context of continued inter-European policy and political changes.

Long-term care work is known for its difficult working conditions, with potential implications for workers' well being. In England, long-term care policies are moving progressively towards marketisation, while public social care funding is under considerable strain. Little evidence exists on the job demand and control of long-term care workers who provide personal and direct care to adults and older people. The article uses survey data from long-term care workers in England (n = 991) to examine the levels of, and differentials in, job strain among long-term care workers. The findings highlight the vulnerability of certain groups of workers, with potential negative impacts on their well being.

Transnational social workers' (TSWs) mobility is evident across the globe; however, social work training, qualifications and activities vary widely even within areas of free labour mobility such as the European Economic Area (EEA). The UK continues relying on internationally qualified social workers to fill in shortages. A number of structural challenges exist in relation to the ability of social workers to cross borders; these are presented at different levels of hierarchies, including political, practice, regulatory structures and individual levels. This article seeks to conceptualise different elements of such hierarchies, drawing on two empirical research projects. The first relates to a pan-European data-gathering exercise in relation to regulation and qualification structure of social work in twenty-seven EEA countries and the second reflects the experience and perceptions of sixty-six non-UK-qualified social workers practising in the UK. The analysis suggests that a set of factors operating on the macro, meso and micro levels of hierarchies affects EEA and non-EEA TSWs differently. TSWs' experience is further influenced by the ability to transfer training and skills into the UK cultural context, which in turn is affected by individuals' abilities and structural workplace support.

This methods review sets out knowledge about current uses and applications of large datasets for research in adult social care practice. Built on a wide-ranging search of the literature, this review discusses examples of the use of different large datasets such as the General Social Care Council, the Census, the Labour Force Survey, governmental and hospital records, as well as others in health and social care research. It focuses on the methods adopted to extract and use data from different large datasets to enable quantitative and statistical examination of the research questions considered. It discusses the challenges associated with using large data records, which in some cases are not originally designed for specific quantitative data analysis or to answer a pre-defined research question, and illustrates various approaches adopted by researchers to extract, validate, refine and interpret results based on such data. The review discusses the strengths and limitations of a number of large datasets currently used in research on social care in England, with examples from adult safeguarding and other areas relevant to adult social care practice.

This chapter provides detailed analysis of working conditions, wages and the role of gender and migrants in the social care sector in England. It is based on empirical studies on the English social care workforce spanning 2010 to 2015. England has seen a continued trend of austerity measures adopted by the then Coalition Government since 2010 and continued by the Conservative Government in 2015. Austerity measures combined with progressive policies towards personalization and pro-European immigration policies have shaped a new structure of care service delivery where marketization has stimulated the demand for low cost caring labour. This has created a precarious working environment with regressive employment conditions affecting more than a million of care workers. The analysis starts by providing an overview of the characteristics of the social care workforce highlighting the significance of gender and migration in the recruitment and retention to the care sector. It then provides detailed analysis of working conditions and wages demonstrating how care workers are denied their legal right of a national minimum wage. The analysis then offers details on bridges required to cross the gap to achieve the legal minimum national minimum wage and then to achieve the aspired-to living wage. Wider implications related to working conditions including workload, contractual agreements and training are examined in relation to the increased demand on this workforce to have greater knowledge and deliver more. With women and migrant workers being the backbone of this workforce there are implications for the wellbeing of workers as well as the quality of care provision. The potential impact of these structural changes on workers' stress and life work balance are examined using findings from targeted surveys and qualitative interviews.

ABSTRACTThe long-term care sector is generally characterised by low pay and difficult working conditions. Understanding pay structures and differentials within this sector is important in enhancing recruitment, retention, quality of care and productivity. This article uses new national data on the long-term care workforce in England to investigate employer and individual effects on pay levels and differentials, using mixed-effects modelling controlling for region, sector and employer hierarchical factors. We further examine whether gender and ethnic pay gaps exist among different groups of workers. The results indicate a significant relationship between sector and pay across different job roles. The analysis further identifies ethnic and gender pay differences even after controlling for the effects of sector and individual employers. The implications of this are discussed in relation to sustaining the care workforce in the context of an ageing society and the potential for structural employment marginalisation to reflect the marginalisation of older people receiving care.

Escalating demands for formal long-term care (LTC) result in the reliance on migrant workers in many developed countries. Within Europe, this is currently framed by progressive European immigration policies favouring inter-European mobility. Using the UK and Norway as case studies, this article has two main aims: (1) to document changes in the contribution of European Union (EU) migrants to the LTC sectors in Western Europe, and (2) to gain further understanding of migrants' decision-processes relating to destination and work choices. The UK and Norway provide examples of two European countries with different immigration histories, welfare regimes, labour market characteristics and cultural values, offering a rich comparison platform. The analysis utilizes national workforce datasets and data obtained from migrants working in the LTC sector in the UK and Norway (n = 248) and other stakeholders (n = 136). The analysis establishes a significant increase in the contribution of EU migrants (particularly from Eastern Europe) to the LTC sector in both the UK and Norway despite their different welfare regimes. The findings also highlight how migrant care workers develop rational decision-processes influenced by subjective perspectives of investments and returns within a context of wider structural migration barriers. The latter includes welfare and social care policies framing the conditions for migrants' individual actions.