CHA response to changes in immigration policy affecting care workers
“Without access to international talent, progress will stall - and the children who rely on us will pay the price”
Today’s announcement of changes to immigration policy risks deepening the workforce challenges already faced in children’s residential care. The Children’s Homes Association urges the government to provide immediate clarity on whether these changes will apply to highly skilled practitioners in our sector.
Children’s residential care is not low-skilled work. It demands a workforce with specialist training, emotional resilience, and years of experience to meet the complex needs of the most vulnerable children in our society. Recruiting internationally has enabled providers to bring in highly qualified practitioners with relevant expertise and a strong command of English—particularly from countries with proven models of therapeutic and evidence-based care, such as Social Pedagogy in parts of Europe.
While we are fully committed to building a robust, homegrown workforce, this will take sustained effort and collaboration with government—over five to seven years.
In the meantime, immediate needs must be met to ensure children receive the safe, high-quality care they deserve. This knee jerk policy risks preventing societies most in need children from receiving the care they need.
The consequences will be significant if today’s policy changes restrict access to visas for overseas children’s residential care professionals. It will block the development of much-needed new forms of provision and hinder the government’s own policy ambitions for reform, new forms of provision and sufficiency in children’s services.
We are working closely with local authorities and central government to tackle current capacity challenges. These initiatives require access to international talent. Without that, progress will stall—and the children who rely on us will pay the price.
“The idea that the care of our most vulnerable children is ‘low-skilled’ could not be further from the truth. We are building an exceptional, highly trained workforce in England and Wales—but this takes time. In the interim, we must have access to international expertise that enhances our sector, strengthens provision, and ultimately improves the lives of children. We call on government to urgently clarify that today’s policy changes will not block this vital support.”
— Dr. Mark Kerr, Chief Executive Officer, The Children’s Homes Association
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ABOUT THE CHA
The Children’s Homes Association www.the-cha.org.uk is the voice of providers of residential child care services and resources across England and Wales. We are a Not-for-Profit Limited Company. The Children’s Homes Association represents both large and small providers with membership drawn from the public, private and voluntary sectors. Some members have just one home whilst others have many homes across a wide geographic area.
WHAT WE DO
We provide knowledge, expert guidance, resources and day-to-day support to our members as we work together to deliver exemplary residential child care.We work directly with local and national government, regulators and allied public services, consulting on policy and changes within the sector. We ensure that the voices of our members are heard, through consultations, government responses and liaison with the media. We actively develop partnerships, collaborations and professional communities to share best practice – for the benefit of our members, the sector and all those cared for within it. Our leadership and associates bring together vast expertise across the many aspects of providing and managing residential child care, with a fearlessly child-centred approach.
OUR VISION: Exemplary residential child care.
OUR MISSION: Drive excellence in residential child care through innovation, collaboration and sector leadership.
MEDIA ENQUIRIES
Sophie Crewdson
media@the-cha.org.uk
07974081549