The UK must stop poaching social workers from developing countries
Local authorities in the UK often have to compete to recruit social workers. Debate is ongoing as to the merits of this, but we also need to look at the global picture.
The practice of “poaching” social workers across national boundaries has long been practised by developed countries who can afford to offer enticements, both financial and in career development.
As social work grows across the world we have a responsibility to ensure that we do not drain developing countries of an essential resource that will make for sustainable community development. Social workers have a crucial role in rebuilding communities after disasters, crises or conflicts.
In the west, social workers tend to work with individuals and families, and are now increasingly re-discovering community work. By contrast, in developing economies social work has had to respond to typhoons, earthquakes, tsunamis, civil unrest and wars. We are all responding to demographic change, migration and living longer.