Dear participant,

You are invited to participate in a research study conducted by Social Work Postgraduate students of Brunel University London. Before you decide to participate or not, it is important that you understand why the research is being done and what it will involve. Please take your time to read the following information carefully and feel free to discuss it with others if you wish. Please do not hesitate to ask if anything is not clear or if you would like more information about any aspect of the research. Please take as much time as you need to decide whether you wish to participate or not. Thank you for your time and for reading this.

What is the purpose of the study? The study aims to explore the migration of social workers into the United Kingdom. The entire research is based on a series of small qualitative studies conducted by MSc Social Work students for their dissertations. It looks at migrant social workers from a large number of countries. Some of our participants qualified as social workers before their migration and others only after their migration. In addition to the questionnaire, the study incorporates semi-structured interviews that will investigate further migrant social workers’ motivation for entering the profession, their professional experience(s) before coming to the United Kingdom (UK), the push and pull factors responsible for their migration and the general experience of migration - including the enabling and challenging factors, their personal and professional adjustment to the UK as well as their professional progression since arrival. The study is expected to enrich our understanding of the migratory journeys of social work professionals who migrated to the UK. Currently, social workers practicing in the area of children and families, for example, are still on the UK immigration authorities' list of "shortage occupations" and the reliance on international social workers to meet workforce shortages is expected to continue. However, despite the relatively large number of social workers involved and the impact these have on wider society, there is relatively little research exploring the migration journeys of this group, their experiences, their unique perspective and training, as well as the obstacles they face and what can be done to help them overcome these. Understanding the motivations, interpretations and lived experience of these professionals is likely to improve our ability to suggest steps and interventions that will support their adjustment to the UK labour market and improve social work provision. It is anticipated that the study will last for three more years and will form the basis for the social work student-researcher’s dissertation for the award of an MSc in Social Work. It is then hoped that the results will be formally published in academic journals and/or other such literature.

Why have I been invited to participate? You have been invited to participate in this study because you belong to the research’s target group: You have the relevant Social Work qualifications and experience. You have migrated to the UK from one of the countries we have included in our study. You are currently working or used to work in the field of social work in the UK until at least a year ago. Furthermore, you are over 21 years old. In addition, your professional experience and migration story would be a valuable contribution to this study.

Do I have to take part? Your participation is entirely voluntary; it is up to you to decide whether or not to take part. If you decide to participate in the questionnaire, in the next section, you will be asked to sign a consent form to confirm your understanding of the information given about the study.

What will happen to me if I take part? You can take part anonymously through an online survey. Before you press the final ‘submit’ button to submit your responses, you will still be able to cancel your participation and your data will not be included in the study. You are also invited to take part in a semi-structured interview. If you are interested/willing to take part in an interview, you will be able to leave your contact details at the end of the survey. Alternatively, if you would like your survey answers to remain anonymised, you will be able to contact the researchers directly to express your interest in being interviewed. If you agree to be interviewed for the research study, a social work student-researcher will get in touch with you to arrange a suitable time and place for the interview to be conducted. Please be aware that we will ask your permission to record the interview to ensure the accuracy of your account. During the face-to-face interview, we will ask you questions relating to your experiences regarding migrating to the UK and practicing social work in the UK. The interviews will be recorded. The recorded interview will be transcribed and sent back to you for any additional comments.

What do I have to do? If you would like to complete the survey, please continue to the next section. With regards to the semi-structured interview, you do not have to do anything at this stage apart from letting us know that you are willing to be interviewed. If you agree to take part, a researcher will get in touch with you to arrange a mutually suitable time and place for the interview.

What are the possible disadvantages and risks of taking part? Some of the questions asked may bring back difficult memories and feelings and cause psychological distress. Participants will be asked to discuss their migration as professional journeys as social workers. They will be asked about their motivation for migrating, their experiences of migration, and the difficulties and challenges they came across while trying to adjust to the UK lifestyle. They will also be asked about their professional journeys since migrating. Some of these experiences and memories may trigger psychological pain.

What are the possible benefits of taking part? Beyond the direct benefits to the students who will be able to write their dissertations based on the data collected, we believe that the findings can shed new light on the challenges, advantages and coping mechanisms of migrating social workers. We believe that these will have real potential to influence social work practice and policy and support the adjustment of such professionals in the future.

What will happen to me if I take part? If you agree to take part, you will be invited to continue to the next page, sign a consent form and continue to the following page where the online questionnaire will start using Brunel University's platform for online surveys. Completing the survey will take about 25 minutes. Should you wish, you will be invited to take part in an interview.

Are there any lifestyle restrictions? None What are the possible disadvantages and risks of taking part? The questionnaire might bring up strong emotions.

What are the possible benefits of taking part? You will have an opportunity to reflect on your migration journey and help us improve the experience of future migrating social workers.

What if something goes wrong? If you are harmed by taking part in this research project, there are no special compensation arrangements. If you are harmed due to someone’s negligence, then you may have grounds for legal action, but you may have to pay for it. In the unlikely event that you wish to make a complaint about your experience with this study, please contact Professor Louise Mansfield, the College of Health, Medicine, and Life Sciences Research Ethics Committee Chair – (Louise.Mansfield@brunel.ac.uk)

Will taking part in this study be kept confidential? The questionnaire is anonymous and you are not required to leave any personal details that will identify you.

What will happen to the results of the research study? The results will be presented in the student’s dissertation and hopefully also in a journal article.

Who is organising and funding the research? Brunel University is funding this project.

Who has reviewed the study? College of Health, Medicine, and Life Sciences Research Ethics Committee Research Integrity Brunel University London is committed to compliance with the Universities’ UK Research Integrity Concordat. You are entitled to expect the highest level of integrity from the researchers during this research

Contact for further information and complaints:

For further information, please contact the project lead: Dr. Yohai Hakak.

In the unlikely event that you wish to make a complaint about your experience with this study, please contact Professor Louise Mansfield, the College of Health, Medicine, and Life Sciences Research Ethics Committee Chair – (Louise.Mansfield@brunel.ac.uk) Research lead: Dr. Yohai Hakak: yohai.hakak@brunel.ac.uk

Thank you for reading this information sheet.