We specialise in connecting UK councils with highly skilled social workers from Southern Africa, helping you meet the challenges of workforce shortages while ensuring continuity and quality in service delivery.
We understand the complexities and potential pitfalls of international social worker recruitment. With specialised expertise and a strong track record, we recognise each local authority’s unique challenges, making us the ideal partner for a successful project.
We follow a thorough recruitment process to ensure that we match the right candidates to your organisation's needs.
Briefing Meetings
As experts in international social work recruitment, we would hold detailed briefing sessions withyour council's stakeholders in children’s services and HR to fully understand your needs. In these sessions, we’ll discuss:
|
|
Candidate Sourcing
Morgan Hunt has established a strong presence within the social worker communities in South Africa and Namibia, giving us an excellent reputation. Our minimum standards for candidate consideration include:
Interview Process
Our robust, three-stage interview process ensures we select the best candidates fo your Council. It includes:
Following this, we provide an interview pack for the final interview, including an overview of the candidate's skills, experience, interview notes, CV, and written exercise. A Morgan Hunt representative joins the panel to provide familiarity and support, ensuring candidates are at ease and perform at their best in these life-changing interviews.
Pre-Induction
Before starting work, candidates go through a 10-session MS Teams induction with African Practice Educators, helping them understand UK social work procedures, legislation, and thresholds. This pre-induction ensures social workers arrive prepared, saving time and providing them with a built-in support network from day one.
Relocation Support
We ease the stress of relocation by handling key tasks such as:
|
|
Housing Support
We work closely with local estate agents to find properties before they hit the market and secure short-term accommodation for candidates while they search for long-term housing.
Ongoing Support
Our support doesn’t end once candidates start. We provide regular check-ins and face-to-face meetings, addressing any challenges before they escalate, ensuring a smooth transition into their new role.
We have recruited social workers from a number of different countries around the world and have had the most success from Southern African countries, namely South Africa and Namibia. The reasons we see this fitting the scope for your council are set out below.
Sponsoring a social worker’s visa for 3-5 years ensures a stable, dedicated workforce. They can only work for your council during the sponsorship, reducing turnover and the risk of losing them to agencies or other authorities. This leads to continuity for children, reduces the time spent on inducting new staff, and significantly decreases agency costs. With agency social workers averaging £80,000 per year, employing a Southern African social worker can save your organisation up to £240,000 over a three-year period.
The social work frameworks in South Africa and Zimbabwe are based on UK legislation, making it easier for these professionals to adapt to the local practice. Their qualifications compare favourably to UK standards, with most candidates either already registered with Social Work England or in the registration process, ensuring they are ready to start contributing immediately.
Our candidates come with a minimum of two years’ experience, with many having over five years in the field. Some are current managers in their home countries seeking to bring their expertise to the UK. This depth of experience equips them to handle complex cases effectively.
Having recruited in social work for nearly a decade, we can confidently say that social workers from Southern Africa are amongst the most passionate. They are committed to making a positive impact in their communities, reflecting values that align closely with the ethos of UK social work.
Southern African social workers often come from backgrounds where they manage caseloads of 40-80 cases, navigating extreme challenges such as poverty and violence. Their resilience and adaptability make them well-prepared for the demands of social work in the UK.