PLUMBING THE BRAIN DRAIN OF SOUTH AFRICAN SOCIAL WORKERS MIGRATING TO THE UK: CHALLENGES FOR SOCIAL SERVICE PROVIDERS
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.15270/42-2-307Abstract
This article reports research that was undertaken to uncover generalisations pertaining to themigration of South African social workers to the United Kingdom (UK). The intention was toidentify challenges for the future contribution of social service providers in South African if localsocial workers are to be retained in the country. In the South African social work milieu it isrecognised formally and informally that a significant number of social workers migrated to the UKduring the first decade after democracy. This can be classified as a distinct brain drain of socialworkers, which has a vital impact on social service delivery and social development (BusinessDay, 2005; Cape Times, 2004; Louw, 2003:xv-xvi; Herald, 2005). However, verifiable data on thebrain drain phenomenon in social work are not available (Business Day, 2005). With reference toSaravia and Miranda’s (2004) use of the metaphor, a plumbing of the South African socialworkers’ brain drain to the UK is thus needed. This plumbing is effected by describing theresearch design and methodology, sketching the background for the survey, reporting the surveyresults, and identifying challenges for social service providersDownloads
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