‘People Here Are Their Own Gods’: The Migration of South African Social Workers to England

• Published in: The British journal of social work 2023-06, Vol.53 (4), p.2019-2037
• Main Authors: Hakak, Yohai, Onokah, Shirley, Shishane, Kwanele
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Cultural differences; Deities; Induction; Interpersonal communication; Migration; Parents & parenting; Religion; Religious beliefs; Social workers
• ISSN: 0045-3102; 1468-263X
• DOI: 10.1093/bjsw/bcac199

Abstract The migration of social workers has become an established trend internationally. Existing research largely ignored the impact of culture on this migration. The study presented here focused on the experiences of social workers who were trained in South Africa and migrated to England. South African-trained social workers had to adjust to significant cultural differences, ranging from the place of religion, the characteristics of the family and parenting, forms of interpersonal communication and what is considered polite and impolite behaviour. Whilst these issues have a wide societal impact, they also shape the daily reality of practising social workers. Implications for practice are discussed, and pre-migration education about the host country’s structures, a systemic induction process, mentorship and supervision with an emphasis on culture, is recommended. This article explores the experiences of social workers who migrated from South Africa to England. Several significant cultural differences were highlighted as affecting these social workers professionally and personally, including the differences in the place of religion, and the prevalence of religiosity in both countries. This difference shaped different approaches to parenting, family life and divorce. Participants had also to adjust to a more reserved style of communication and to different perceptions regarding polite and impolite behaviour. Experiences of discrimination were also very prevalent. Implications for practice and future research are explored.