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Migrants' motivations to work in the care sector: experiences from England within the context of EU enlargement.

ABSTRACT: Migrant workers are considered an economic utility, especially for secondary labour markets such as that of long-term care. The dynamics of migrant workers across the globe are governed by interacting macro, state level, and micro, personal level, factors. On the macro level immigration policies, historical and current political and economic links between countries play a crucial part in such dynamics. On an individual level, choices, actions and motivations to migrate and work in certain labour sectors are entangled with and governed by macro level policies. Since 2003, the enlargement of the European Economic Area (EEA) has enabled employers in the UK to freely recruit staff from EEA countries. This article investigates reported individual motivations and the decision making process while accounting for macro factors, specifically ease of labour mobility within the EEA versus a more elaborate process when migrating to work in social care in the UK from outside the EEA. Face to face interviews were conducted with 96 migrant social care and social work staff in six diverse areas of England (2007-2009). The analysis indicates differences in stated motivations to migrate to the UK and to work in the care sector among different groups of migrants, particularly among those from Commonwealth countries, from the EEA, and migrants from other parts of the globe. The findings highlight the importance of taking into account the role of immigration policies and consequently immigration status when investigating the policy framework and delivery of care services for older people.

SUBMITTER: Hussein S

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5549116 | biostudies-other | 2013 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-other

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Project description:ObjectivesPartners and wider family members play a vital role in relation to women's perinatal mental health. Clinical guidelines in the UK and internationally recommend that services supporting women with perinatal mental health difficulties involve and support their families too. However, little is known about family members' needs and experiences, or whether they feel included by mental health services. This study set out to explore this.MethodsThis research formed part of a wider study exploring experiences of perinatal mental health care in England. The broader study included semi-structured interviews with 52 women across England who received treatment for a perinatal mental health difficulty, and 32 family members identified by the women as offering them some support. Data from these 84 interviews relating to how services work with partners and families were extracted and analysed thematically.ResultsAnalysis identified three overarching themes: (1) the centrality of women's families to their perinatal mental health/access to support, (2) experiences of partners and families being excluded by services and (3) ambivalence among women and their families about increasing family involvement/support. We found that partners and families appear to have an important influence on women's perinatal mental health, access to care and interactions with services, but that services tend to focus on individual women (and babies) with little regard for their wider family context. The complexity of involving and supporting partners and families, coupled with anxiety about this among women and their families, reinforces the tendency to marginalise them.ConclusionInvolving women's families and providing the support they need is challenging, but important. Experiences of women and their families of services treating perinatal mental health difficulties suggests greater focus is needed on overcoming barriers to family inclusion and on challenging underlying gender roles and expectations, rather than allowing these to shape and guide practice.

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Migrants' motivations to work in the care sector: experiences from England within the context of EU enlargement.

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