A Career as a Social Workers

Social Workers live extraordinary lives. They get to meet and help people from all walks of life. The job can be extremely demanding and tough but the rewards are high. So, do you know someone who could use some help. Why not get qualified as a social worker and let them know that help is at hand.

What do Social Workers actually do?
Social workers form relationships with people. As adviser, advocate, counselor or listener, a social worker helps people to live more successfully within their local communities by helping them find solutions to their problems. Social work also involves engaging not only with clients themselves but their families and friends as well as working closely with other organisations including the police, NHS, schools and probation service.

There is a specific status associated with the job title "social worker". Social workers are professionally qualified staff who assess the needs of service users and plan the individual packages of care and support that best help them. Becoming a social worker involves taking an honours degree in social work and registering with the General Social Care Council. Almost all social workers start their careers with experience in social care

Social Work with Adults
Roles include working with people with mental health problems or learning difficulties in residential care; working with offenders, by supervising them in the community and supporting them to find work; assisting people with HIV/AIDs and working with older people at home helping to sort out problems with their health, housing or benefits.

Social Work with Children and Young Adults
Roles include providing assistance and advice to keep families together; working in children's homes; managing adoption and foster care processes; providing support to younger people leaving care or who are at risk or in trouble with the law; or helping children who have problems at school or are facing difficulties brought on by illness in the family.

Social Worker – Qualification Routes
Social Work requires a professional qualification currently an honours degree in social work that involves a combination of course work and a minimum of 200 days spent in practice settings providing the opportunity for lots of practical experience before you actually qualify. Once qualified you will need to register with the General Social Care Council (GSCC) which is responsible for regulating the workforce.

School Leavers
If you leave school at 16 or 17 and are interested in this area, you can start a preliminary further education college course in Social Care or pursue a modern apprenticeship in Health and Social care. Both of these options will include placements and you may also be able to combine this with voluntary work. Through job experience and NVQ assessments, you could become eligible to enter the degree course and if employed within the sector, your employer may provide funding for you to do this.

Graduate
You already have a degree in another subject, some universities offer a shorter postgraduate course which will enable you to practise as a social worker. You will need to contact individual universities for further clarification

Change Your Career To Social Work
A high proportion of Social Workers come to the job as a second or third career. Your previous experience will be valued and may be considered in place of formal academic qualifications when considering your eligibility to join a degree course.
Because career-changers may be older and have family responsibilities, it can be challenging to survive financially while following the course. However, since September 2003, students studying for the degree qualification will be eligible for an annual bursary.

Social Work Bursary Scheme
Financial assistance for social work students is available through bursaries administered by the GSCC on behalf of the Department of Health. Social work students of all ages are able to apply for bursaries as an incentive to train.

There are bursaries available to both undergraduate and postgraduate students, provided they meet residency requirements and other criteria.This contains a contribution towards fees and can be used to pay for tuition fees if you so wish. A travel allowance for attending your practice placements has been built into the bursary. (£575 for full time courses and £287-50 for part time courses). It is expected that the agency offering your placement will contribute towards the travel costs incurred while carrying out your placement duties.

What is the difference between social work and social care work?
Social workers have to obtain a three year degree. They will be involved at a high level with users, working with them to assess their care requirements and working alongside other professionals such as doctors to make sure that every user receives the particular type of support that he or she needs.

Social care workers tend to offer more personal care. Often they will be involved in supporting one user or a few users in the tasks of everyday living. They often do not need any qualifications when they begin the work, but they will usually be expected to work towards a qualification as they work, and will receive training through their employers to this end.

Who employs social workers?
Most social workers work for a Local Authority but you could work for a charity (eg the NSPCC, Barnados), an Independent Provider (eg running a residential care home) or for a variety of different organisations through a staffing agency.

What are the differences between working with the different groups of service users and how do I choose?
Most social workers work with a range of different client groups during their working life. Each type of work has its own unique issues and rewards. Your training will give you experience of a range of different work. You do not need to choose which group to work with until you move into employment on graduation.

What are the differences in being a directly employed worker and an agency worker?
Agency working can give a range of experience. You may also find the flexibility of agency work more suitable if you have commitments as a carer, for example. However, as an agency worker you will be working on short term contracts and will not have the same rights or 'influence' as directly employed members of staff

How can I find out about social work for a particular employer?
Try contacting the employer direct and asking if they can put you in touch with one of their staff. If it is difficult to arrange to speak to staff, you can contact the British Association of social workers, who will try to put you in touch with a social worker in your part of the UK.

For more information on becoming a social worker contact:
The British Association of Social Workers
www.basw.org.uk

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