The council says it had to take action after failing to recruit suitable candidates in the UK.
By Thomas BarrettAlmost 30 social care workers have been recruited from South Africa and Zimbabwe to plug gaps in North Yorkshire.
The county council said the first group arrived late last year, and a second group started last month in Harrogate. The international search came after recruitment campaigns in the UK met with "limited success", the council said.They are also assigned a "community buddy" to help them settle. Michael Harrison, the council's executive member for health and adult services, said: "We have recruited 29 qualified social workers from South Africa and Zimbabwe using a network of specialist agencies and working alongside other councils.
"They will work across the county in what is a great opportunity to help this group of professional social workers further their career in North Yorkshire whilst filling vacancies in specialist areas where there is a national workforce shortage."It came after previous UK-based recruitment drives found applicants to be newly qualified and not ready to tackle more complex work.
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