Smooth sailing with the occasional ‘culture shock’: the experiences of Romanian social workers in England

Abstract

ABSTRACT This study examines the experiences of social workers trained in Romania and then immigrated to England. It explores how they understood and negotiated the English culture. While a small number of studies mentioned migrating Romanian social workers, none of these closely considered issues related to culture. Bourdieu’s ‘habitus’ adjusted to explore national level groups was instrumental in understanding Romanian social workers’ cultural capital, and the interplay between it and English culture. The study aims to explore how Romanian cultural habitus shaped their experiences of immigration and their unique perspective. Data were gathered through face-to-face semi-structured interviews and an online questionnaire. Interviewees express greater life satisfaction following their migration, however, they also discuss the obstacles they encountered, including the differences regarding the place of the individual in relation to the family, wider society and the State, the status of social work and definitions of politeness and impoliteness. We explore the participants’ responses to these tensions, the constraints they identified and the need for a comprehensive induction programme before starting to practice in England.