Overview

• Qualified social workers
• Educators
• Social pedagogues
• Pedagogues

Almost all of our jobs are for permanent contracts with:

• Local authorities (state)
• Charities
• Private organisations

Have a look at some of our current jobs.

Our service to help you find a job is free of charge to you and includes:

• an assessment of your suitability to work in the roles available in the UK
• guidance on application procedures
• advice on interview processes in the UK
• guidance on recruitment and reference checking
• guidance on moving country
• friendly and helpful support throughout the process

We are a private company and our fees are paid by the employers for the recruitment service we provide to them.

Most employers invest in your induction and training to enable you to work effectively in the UK context and in exchange for this, there is an expectation that you commit to the job in which we place you for a minimum of 2 years. We also have shorter-term placements – ask us for details.

UK employers come to Jacaranda to find staff because there is a shortage of social workers. Here in the UK, there is also a growing interest in the European approaches to social work, especially in social pedagogy, which has not been known or practiced in the here until very recently.

Social pedagogy workshops

Jacaranda also offers workshops to UK employers who are interested in social pedagogy. We have a small team of consultants and trainers who are qualified and experienced social pedagogues who deliver workshops. If you are interested in this please contact us.

Internships

Over the years we had many requests for practical placements in UK institutions. In 2010 we started a small internship programme. If you are interested in a practical placement of minimum 3 months, please contact us.

Who are we?

Jacaranda was started in 2003 by Abby Ladbrooke and Ingolf Block. We are now a team of 7 permanent staff and some freelance colleagues in the UK, Germany and Spain. All of us have lived and worked away from our home countries, we all speak other languages in addition to our native tongue. This means we understand what it means to move country and, we can advise and guide you based on real experience.

Here are some of the things about us we would like to share with you:

Ethics

Due to a national shortage of qualified social work staff in the UK, employers of social workers have looked overseas to help meet their recruitment needs. social workers have been recruited from many countries around the world. We very much welcome applications from countries where there is no shortage of social workers.

Our clients

We aim to provide excellent service to our clients, the employers, by taking the time to understand their recruitment needs and being honest with them about what they can expect. We believe in excellence and know that our commitment to this means employers return to us time and again and recommend us to others.

Our candidates

We aim to provide an objective and supportive service to you, our candidates. We use our experience to its best advantage in helping you make the decisions that could enrich your professional and personal life.

Our staff

We have a culture of an ethical approach and commitment to good quality work. This is an exciting time for Jacaranda – we are developing new services and being creative in how we do that. This, together with our open approach and commitment to supporting staff development, means for anyone joining our small team, the opportunities to help shape the future of Jacaranda are rewarding.  If you are interested in working with Jacaranda, or in doing an internship with us, please contact us.

High Standards

We have a commitment to high standards in all aspects of our work. This ranges from polite and helpful communication with our clients, candidates and suppliers to never cutting corners for a “quick result”. We present our information and deliver our service with care and attention to detail. We care about what we do, have a sense of purpose and see the importance of our contribution in the whole picture.

Humour and fun

Last but not least, we have humour and believe that fun is important. Whilst our focus is always on achieving a positive outcome, we want to have fun getting there!

Jacaranda is based in South London.

Why are we called Jacaranda?

Jacaranda is a tree. It is native to Brazil, but grows in warm climates all around the world, e.g. Spain, South Africa, Australia.

When we started the company, we wanted a name that was "different" and had some meaning. We like the symbolism of a tree, namely something both life-giving and alive, growth and protection. We also liked the fact that the Jacaranda tree grows in many countries around the world, thus also giving it an international symbolism, which fits with what do. 

In addition, we thought it was a name that could be easily pronounced by people from all over the world.

The Jacaranda tree bears beautiful purple blooms.

If you are an employer, please click here.