Let's Be Honest campaign

06 March 2019

Jersey’s Government has launched one of the largest recruitment campaigns for social workers the island has ever seen.

Let’s Be Honest is an international and local recruitment campaign launched to build a more permanent and highly-skilled workforce of social workers.

Children's Minister Senator Sam Mézec said: “Jersey has a significant recruitment issue of social workers. The vacancies are mostly filled with agency staff, which leads to disruption for children and a significant level of costs and turnover.

“Having a stable and highly skilled workforce of social workers is crucial as we seek to protect the welfare of our most vulnerable children and young people in Jersey.”

Mark Rogers, Director General for Children, Young People, Education and Skills, said that the campaign, Let’s Be Honest, gives a frank description of the serious issues the island faces.

He said: “We need to recruit more permanent social workers to join our passionate and committed staff – simply because we just don’t have enough stability.

“While we know that from 2022 the island will benefit from home-grown talent qualifying via the on-island degree, we still need to do something now to reduce our high vacancy levels.

“Therefore, as part of the national recruitment campaign, I have agreed an open and honest letter with the Children’s Minister, setting out the reasons why we need to attract and recruit social workers to the Island.

“We need to be clear from the outset. We haven’t done enough to protect vulnerable children in the past. That’s not an easy thing to face up to. Every child deserves a bright future, and we are making sure that ambition becomes a reality. With a bold plan to shake-up how things have previously been done, we’re looking for a number of innovative professionals to join our visionary social work team. The Government’s ambition is for Jersey to be the best place for children to grow up in. Together, as one determined team, we can create the brightest future out of a traumatic past,” added Mr Rogers.

A key element of the new campaign is attending national recruitment fairs in the UK throughout the year. Representatives from Jersey will attend events in Birmingham this week, Manchester in May and London later this year.