What was the main reason for moving back to UK?

[Bound4Tassie]

Sorry to add to the downsides but social work may be a lot different in Aus, a sw who was on here went back because they were disillusioned, they were Wellers and Whitehead and you might get a response if you pm them.

 

But I've seen loads of social workers on WDU and they get offered work on the spot!

[Que Sera Sera]

Sorry to add to the downsides but social work may be a lot different in Aus, a sw who was on here went back because they were disillusioned, they were Wellers and Whitehead and you might get a response if you pm them.

Last post I saw from her, she was contemplating coming back to Australia I beleive.

[Marisawright]

I would Quoll but he's very much "anti UK" and I have a better chance of growing a third boob than getting him on UK soil again.

 

That's true, but there are parts of Australia that are far less alien, and more civilised, than Darwin - so that would be a win-and-slightly-less-lost compromise!

[BacktoDemocracy]

But I've seen loads of social workers on WDU and they get offered work on the spot!

 

I can only say what W&W said which i think if i paraphrase it, was in essence, that she found SW in aus very behind UK in thinking and practice.

I haven't seen anything from them recently but i can imagine that the choice is now starkly stay in the UK and be completely overloaded, beat up on by the press and social media and be at risk of landing in court because a case goes tits up due to Osborne's cuts or work in a system which is a bit behind the times.

[BacktoDemocracy]

Last post I saw from her, she was contemplating coming back to Australia I beleive.

Please see my post above

[Johndoe]

After dealing with social workers in Oz for the 12 yrs that i was fostering, I wouldn't say that they were behind the UK in their thinking (whatever that means)................who is to decide what is correct and incorrect thinking in either country, given that Oz isn't the UK with sunshine? What I will say is that they were extremely overworked and underfunded eg 5 case officers for the same child in 3 yrs due to "burnout"

[BacktoDemocracy]

After dealing with social workers in Oz for the 12 yrs that i was fostering, I wouldn't say that they were behind the UK in their thinking (whatever that means)................who is to decide what is correct and incorrect thinking in either country, given that Oz isn't the UK with sunshine? What I will say is that they were extremely overworked and underfunded eg 5 case officers for the same child in 3 yrs due to "burnout"

As i said that was the bottom line as i understood it by a SW who had been trained and Worked in the UK and may in part be referring to the high workload that you refer to.

Oz may not be the UK in the sun but the theory and practice of lots of professions should reflect established best practice, you wouldn't expect Aus to teach medicine differently just because they believe something different to the rest of the world would you.

[Petals]

As i said that was the bottom line as i understood it by a SW who had been trained and Worked in the UK and may in part be referring to the high workload that you refer to.

Oz may not be the UK in the sun but the theory and practice of lots of professions should reflect established best practice, you wouldn't expect Aus to teach medicine differently just because they believe something different to the rest of the world would you.

 

So who should decide which country has the "best practice", I think that difference is good in any profession and moving with the times is not always the best way. Tried and true and old often are reverted to. Who has sat in a meeting at work and thought "yep we tried that years ago". My oh used to complain all the time about new brooms and new ideas that had been tried here in Aus years before.

[Johndoe]

As i said that was the bottom line as i understood it by a SW who had been trained and Worked in the UK and may in part be referring to the high workload that you refer to.

Oz may not be the UK in the sun but the theory and practice of lots of professions should reflect established best practice, you wouldn't expect Aus to teach medicine differently just because they believe something different to the rest of the world would

 

 

 

I'm Not talking medicine but social issues within the confines of different cultural and environmental sensibilities. For example, here, I've witnessed corporal punishment by parents of Islander origin, in some cases, severe, being "swept under the carpet". That could be seem by UK social workers, new to the Oz system, as being "backward" whereas an Australian social worker could see it as unfortunate, but perhaps necessary, in order to recognise Islander "norms" and hold the Islander family together

[BacktoDemocracy]

I'm Not talking medicine but social issues within the confines of different cultural and environmental sensibilities. For example, here, I've witnessed corporal punishment by parents of Islander origin, in some cases, severe, being "swept under the carpet". That could be seem by UK social workers, new to the Oz system, as being "backward" whereas an Australian social worker could see it as unfortunate, but perhaps necessary, in order to recognise Islander "norms" and hold the Islander family together

 

That might be the nub of the problem, I was shocked myself at the levels of poverty and ignorance amongst aborigine and 'islander' peoples which seemed to be simply accepted by Australians amidst a welter of disdain and negativity towards them, also towards a lot of poor Australians who found themselves in State housing where I found staff's attitude one of complete contempt for people who were struggling with multiple problems from mental health issues to physical disabilities.

I worked in the Qld housing dept where the open disregard and hostility towards tenants by staff at all levels was openly expressed and tolerated with decisions often made purely on personal assessments of the tenants rather than any adherence to policy, if there was a policy. They did not have a polnts based system for allocating properties until 2005/6, just merely the date you got registered on the waiting list, so social or medical need was barely taken account of, point based allocations were standard in the UK from when i started working in housing in the 1980's.

So the differences may be about both policy and about attitudes and about what is seen as the subjective norm, so i think my comparison to the absolutes of medicine is relevant, because simply accepting that that is how 'islanders' are simply says they will remain where they are in society and there is no need to bring them into main stream society or improve their lot, they can simply stay as an underclass in society.

Edited February 6, 2016 by BacktoDemocracy

[chilliboy]

Moving all depends on the type of personality you are.Our disastrous move has shown us that we like security,familiarity and routine,being away from all of this has shown us that the UK is for us,the move was simply too much and has taken its toll.Due to our unhappiness we only see negatives in Oz.I would suggest anyone moving is 100% sure and committed to it! It also helps I think if you are fairly unhappy in the uk,I.e poor wages,unhappy with your housing,schooling , environment you live in.I think coming to Oz is a bit like joining the army a lot of people do it to get away from something,if that is something in yourself it won't work,if your life is good and your family are enjoying life I would stay put.This is just my opinion though and many,many people love Oz.

[Gbye grey sky]

Moving all depends on the type of personality you are.Our disastrous move has shown us that we like security,familiarity and routine,being away from all of this has shown us that the UK is for us,the move was simply too much and has taken its toll.Due to our unhappiness we only see negatives in Oz.I would suggest anyone moving is 100% sure and committed to it! It also helps I think if you are fairly unhappy in the uk,I.e poor wages,unhappy with your housing,schooling , environment you live in.I think coming to Oz is a bit like joining the army a lot of people do it to get away from something,if that is something in yourself it won't work,if your life is good and your family are enjoying life I would stay put.This is just my opinion though and many,many people love Oz.

 

I agree that you really need to commit yourself 100% to the move and accept that not everything will pan out from day one. Don't agree that being unhappy where you are is a good reason to emigrate though; better off moving somewhere else in the UK if gat is the case really as I don't believe moving to Australia can make an unhappy person (let alone a whole family) happy.

[chilliboy]

I think being unhappy where you are helps,because after emigrating you won't look back fondly on your previous life.

[Gbye grey sky]

I think being unhappy where you are helps,because after emigrating you won't look back fondly on your previous life.

 

It's funny but a lot of people then start looking back then with their rise-tints on I find. Generally I feel if you are unhappy it goes much deeper than your location. We were happy in England and we are happy here.

[chilliboy]

I agree the rose tints generally tend to appear and the grass is greener may often seem the case.For us finding out how unhappy we have become did remind us how good things were and how we could've improved things in the UK.

[Gbye grey sky]

Being on this forum for a while you read so many posters whose motivation is a better life than the perceived one that they say they have in the UK. They build up the negatives to justify the move. The trouble is that focussing on downsides is a character-trait so - surprise, surprise - they then focus on the downsides when they get here. Funnily enough often they get back to the UK and then start regretting that move.

 

So I would say that the key to increasing your chances of moving successfully whether emigrating to Oz or returning to the UK is to be 100% committed to making that move a success and think positively.

[Johndoe]

So the differences may be about both policy and about attitudes and about what is seen as the subjective norm, so i think my comparison to the absolutes of medicine is relevant, because simply accepting that that is how 'islanders' are simply says they will remain where they are in society and there is no need to bring them into main stream society or improve their lot, they can simply stay as an underclass in society.

 

Again, we're not talking about medicine or housing, and tbh, I never found social workers within the Child Protection Department to fit within your "norm" as above. They were very concerned, with poicy, and there certainly never was (that I found) any attitude as you describe it. Their hands seemed tied by the prevalent need to recognise (not necessarily accept) different cultural norms, whilst at the same time, attempting to educate ("steer towards" if you will) that culture to adopt mainstream norms. That "rock and a hard place" whereby any attempt to educate could be seen as interference in/dilution of, another culture, risking further isolation of that culture.

 

They (Child Protection) were, and still are, haunted by the "Stolen Generation" something that UK Child Protection doesn't have to consider, and having been subjected to the abuse heaped on me, not just by the child's family but also by members of her community, when I had an indigenous child placed in my care, I can well understand, although I guess most others may not, just what the CPA and it's social workers have to worry about and contend with, not just from the family, but from the media.

 

IMHO, it's not "backward" in a derogatory sense as some describe it, but merely evolving at a pace suitable to the political and social circumstances at the time, and that only anyone with an inkling of Australian history and culture, would understand

[JockinTas]

Being on this forum for a while you read so many posters whose motivation is a better life than the perceived one that they say they have in the UK. They build up the negatives to justify the move. The trouble is that focussing on downsides is a character-trait so - surprise, surprise - they then focus on the downsides when they get here. Funnily enough often they get back to the UK and then start regretting that move.

 

So I would say that the key to increasing your chances of moving successfully whether emigrating to Oz or returning to the UK is to be 100% committed to making that move a success and think positively.

 

Yes!! And to stop comparing. My attitude was, I'm over 10,000 miles from the UK. Yes it is different. Yes expect it to be hot in summer - VERY hot in some places - expect to be homesick - realise you are on your own now as no family close by and basically just get on with it. Clearly, some people cope and others don't.

[chilliboy]

Excellent points, I agree that negative personalities or pessimistic ones find any change harder and as you say commitment is essential.I think our move progressed almost on autopilot without any real consideration for it or what it would mean.We are not committed to it and hence why it has failed miserably.There is a real commitment and passion to return to the UK though and at least for those who have tried Oz and failed they shouldn't be left with the what ifs and if only I had.

[JockinTas]

Excellent points, I agree that negative personalities or pessimistic ones find any change harder and as you say commitment is essential.I think our move progressed almost on autopilot without any real consideration for it or what it would mean.We are not committed to it and hence why it has failed miserably.There is a real commitment and passion to return to the UK though and at least for those who have tried Oz and failed they shouldn't be left with the what ifs and if only I had.

 

Don't say you have failed - not at all. At least you know where you belong now - some people don't and become ping-pongers. Good luck to you!

[Que Sera Sera]

You could have bought a bin! Here in Devonport Tas, the bins are not supplied by the council. You buy them from the local hardware store.

We got our bin in 24 hours of phoning. Can't understand a 6 week wait. Councils must be very different.

[Que Sera Sera]

Being on this forum for a while you read so many posters whose motivation is a better life than the perceived one that they say they have in the UK. They build up the negatives to justify the move. The trouble is that focussing on downsides is a character-trait so - surprise, surprise - they then focus on the downsides when they get here. Funnily enough often they get back to the UK and then start regretting that move.

 

So I would say that the key to increasing your chances of moving successfully whether emigrating to Oz or returning to the UK is to be 100% committed to making that move a success and think positively.

Absolutely this.

[chilliboy]

We got our bin in 24 hours of phoning. Can't understand a 6 week wait. Councils must be very different.

 

Council would only empty their bins! We applied for bins at start of December, 2 weeks later we phoned and they said they hadn't been requested,2 weeks later a truck arrived with a load of bins and gave them to all the empty houses around us on the estate,we phoned again and they said they would deliver them after xmas,we got them 6 weeks after applying.

Edited February 7, 2016 by chilliboy

[flag of convenience]

It can also have nothing to do with comparing countries or the like. I made two attempts at living in WA over the course of eleven years, the first lasted a little over twelve months and found Perth stifling to say the least in small town mentality. Hence over the moon when returned to London, second I think fourteen months, while managed far better, being that much older, still after time grieved for a more happening environment and broader outlooks.

 

If coming as a family the issues will be totally unrelated to mine I'd imagine. One thing I could always rely on easy to find rented accommodation and cheaper prices than Europe by far. The easiness of living did negate the more pedestrian complaints with regards the place. Not the case these days of course, with Perth as expensive as anywhere and more so than most places.

[JockinTas]

Council would only empty their bins! We applied for bins at start of December, 2 weeks later we phoned and they said they hadn't been requested,2 weeks later a truck arrived with a load of bins and gave them to all the empty houses around us on the estate,we phoned again and they said they would deliver them after xmas,we got them 6 weeks after applying.

 

 

Must have been so frustrating! Yes in Sydney, Council supplied a rubbish bin, recycling bin and a green bin for gardening waste. When we came to Devonport I went to the local Council office to request bins, to be told we buy our own here. OK that's fine - $100 a pop though.