International recruitment is playing a bigger role in social work services across the UK - but what does it actually look like in practice?
In this webinar, hosted by Clare Keniry, we're joined by Sam Mannion, Principal Social Worker at Somerset Council and Chris Armstrong, Business Director at Morgan Hunt to take a closer look at Somerset's international recruitment journey.
They'll talk honestly about the day-to-day realities of recruiting internationally, the impact on teams, and the long-term benefits for the service. Sam will walk us through:
- How the programme started
- The success and what worked well
- The challenges and what didn't go as planned
- Lessons learned from the experience
This session is packed with real insights and practical takeaways for anyone involved in or thinking about international recruitment in social work.
Sign up here
Sam Mannion
Service Manager-Principal Social Worker
I started my journey as a Family Help Practitioner and qualified as a Social Worker through Somerset’s apprenticeship programme—which is a pathway we’re very proud of. Since then, I’ve worked across assessment, safeguarding, and children looked after, before stepping into leadership as a Safeguarding Team Manager.
Today, as Principal Child and Family Social Worker in Somerset, I’m passionate about creating the right conditions for practitioners to thrive: a culture of learning, wellbeing, and psychological safety that fuels creativity and resilience. Somerset is a fantastic place to practice social work. Over the past year, we have welcomed 14 Social Workers into Somerset via Morgan Hunt, a relationship we’re proud of, using learning from previous cohorts to ensure their integration into Somerset as both a workplace and a home. For me, it’s all about supporting great practice and achieving positive outcomes for children and families.
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