1. Other than processing individual applicants have you strategically recruited internationally-qualified child protection social workers over the last three years (2019, 2020 and 2021 which may remain in process)? Years should reflect the date of interview.
No, we have not strategically recruited internationally-qualified child protection social workers over the last three years.

If so:

a) Noting that these questions are best answered by using a spreadsheet, how many social workers did you interview and how many did you appoint?
b) Please specify the source country(citizenship) of each SW and their country of training (which may be different:).
c) Please specify if applicants had international experience outside of their country of training. Please also specify the number of complete years of post-qualification experience: less than 12 months; 12 months and a day to two years; two years and a day to three years; more than three years and a day.
d) Please indicate if SWs passed their 6 month probationary periods, passed with an extension, failed with or without an extension... and whether they remain in your employment.
e) Broken down according to the value of the contract if using an external provider how and where did you circulate and promote the opportunity given UK procurement requirements? Did you promote such opportunities in potential source countries by, for example, advertising on the website of the New Zealand Association of SWs? If so, how did you engage with nationals of preferred source countries?
f) Please provide copy of any tender specification and any contract that flowed from your international recruitment initiative.
g) This is linked to the number of years post-qualification experience. Please provide your salary scale and the point on the scale at which SWs were appointed. If this did not reflect post-qualification experience: why did it not? Some employers review and backdate salaries after 6 or 12 months: was this or another approach your preferred way of securing employment?
Not applicable.

2. Did you use an agency to assist with the process?
Not applicable.

a) If so, what exactly did the agency do (I am aware of one agency in particular who never actually sees SWs and simply gathers CVs, pays for everything and sends employers a large and unjustified invoice)? The gamut of agency roles would include identifying potential SWs, interviewing them in countries of residence in advance of interview by yourselves, delivering training on the English child care system in advance of interview or between a successful interview and commencing the job, managing what is sometimes the complex process of professional registration with Social Work England, advising and assisting paying for visas for the SW and family (as should be the case under Covid travel), organising flights, organising quarantine as required by government guidance in force at the time or alternatively placing SWs in third countries for ten days or so in a country that did not attract red country quarantine requirements, making arrangements to get social workers from their ...port of arrival to yourselves, arranging temporary initial accommodation, advising on opening bank accounts etc., remaining available for at least six months to support SWs and Managers after commencement of employment.
b) Which type of visa did SWs obtain and at what cost (including extras such as the health care surcharge)?
c) What fees per SW did you pay the agency you used....less than £3000, £3k -£4k, £4k - £5, more than £5k? Was there a provision for reimbursement should a SW leave before completing probation or who failed a probationary period? If so, how much?
Not applicable.

3. a) Please provide details of any induction program that was delivered to internationally-qualified SWs. If this duplicated or dovetailed into your induction program for newly qualified UK SWs was this simply a matter of convenience? If not, please advise how the needs of, for example, a social worker with ten years experience in South Africa (as may be the case with some Zimbabweans) , are considered to be the same as those with next to zero post-qualification experience?
b) Please provide details you may have obtained concerning feedback from internationally-trained SWs on their recruitment and on their induction. How has such feedback informed future practice?
Not applicable.

4.
a) From the date of initial/provisional job offer what proportion of applicants took under 4 weeks; 4 -8 weeks, longer than 8 weeks to obtain certificates of sponsorship(CoS)?
b) From obtaining the CoSs how long did it take for SWs to obtain visas?
c) Did a Manager from your organisation "meet and greet" SWs upon arrival? If not, who did?
d) Please provide a copy of the relocation package that applied to international SWs.
e) Many years ago it took two weeks to get SWs into post under streamlined efficient immigration arrangements. Focusing on immigration but not exclusively so, what lessons have been learnt that could inform a more efficient and effective approach to international social worker recruitment in the future?
Not applicable.

5. Is international social worker recruitment likely to be on your agenda within the foreseeable future?
No, not at this time.

If so:
a) Why is it considered necessary to consider international recruitment?
b) How many SWs do you have in mind? Any thoughts on source country(ies) and level of experience?
c) Is this likely to be done in-house; by using a consultant; outsourcing to an agency?
d) Will you limit yourselves to SWs who are already SWE-registered or will you consider those who have registration in process or those who have yet to commence their application?
Not applicable.

6.
a) Will you consider SWs who are required by SWE to pass an English language test but have yet to take one or have failed an initial attempt?
b) Will you reimburse this and other registration costs?
c) If you have a policy concerning meeting professional registration costs (which may be corporate) please send a copy.
Not applicable.