Like many other countries, the adult social care sector in England relies on a predominantly female workforce, with men accounting for 21% of workers as of 2024. As a result, some commentators have suggested that recruiting more men could be one solution to the staffing crisis, which has long troubled the sector. In addition, adult social care is heavily reliant on migrant workers, with 25% of workers in England being born outside the UK. Notably, these demographic factors are interrelated, as a recent increase in the proportion of male care workers has been directly linked to an expansion in overseas recruitment, particularly from countries outside the EU. 

In this seminar, Ella Monkcom will present early research findings from interviews with ~30 British, Romanian, Polish, Zimbabwean and Nigerian men who work in the adult social care sector in England. Interviews involved discussing day-to-day practices of care work, as well as a life mapping activity, which elicited greater understanding of men’s life histories and care trajectories. By drawing on findings from these interviews, Ella aims to explore questions surrounding how men end up working in care and what men’s experiences can teach us about care work in general. Equally, she hopes to present some early theoretical thinking about the concept of 'caring masculinities', its strengths and limitations, and how it might be adapted for use within the care work context. 

Ella Monkcom completed her BA in Human, Social and Political Sciences and MPhil in Health, Medicine and Society at the University of Cambridge before moving to Sheffield in 2020. After working in the care sector and in education and local authority roles, Ella undertook an MA in Research Methods at the University of Sheffield. In October 2023, she began her doctoral project examining the experiences of men who work in the adult social care sector in England. This work explores the ways that migration and racialisation interact with men’s experiences of masculinity and care within care work. Ella's current trip to Australia is designed to build new international academic connections and is funded by the Centre for Care, University of Sheffield.

Join Zoom Meeting
https://anu.zoom.us/j/88019732175?pwd=bG9wM5kOr8V4a2rZ7SSY8fCbgdDo0C.1&from=addon

Meeting ID: 880 1973 2175
Password: 023737