A social worker works with people who have been socially excluded or who are experiencing crisis. Their role is to provide support to enable service users to help themselves. They maintain professional relationships with service users, acting as guides, advocates or critical friends.
Social workers work in a variety of settings within a framework of relevant legislation and procedures, supporting individuals, families and groups within the community. Settings may include the service users' home, schools, hospitals and the premises of other public sector and voluntary organisations.
Qualified social work professionals are often supported by social work assistants. They also work closely with other health and social care staff.
Over 50% of social workers work with young people and their families. They may also work with the following groups:
Government legislation focusing on the integration of health and social work services means that social workers often work in multidisciplinary teams.
Tasks typically involve:
Social work is a graduate profession and you will need either an honours or postgraduate degree in social work approved by the General Social Care Council (GSCC) (http://www.gscc.org.uk) .
Approved postgraduate courses are usually full time and last two years, although there are some part-time courses available. See the GSCC website for a list of courses.
A minimum 2:2 honours degree is often needed for entry to the postgraduate professional training. If your degree is not in a relevant subject, for example social sciences, education, psychology or nursing, substantial work experience in a relevant area can increase your chances of being considered for training.
Entry for HND/foundation degree holders is normally via the undergraduate degree in social work. The following subjects may improve your chances or allow some exemptions:
Most undergraduate degrees are full-time courses lasting three years, although there are some part-time courses.
Both undergraduate and postgraduate courses cover the same topics and have a strong practical element with over 200 days (usually six to seven hours a day) of supervised work placements.
Applications for all courses are made through the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) (http://www.ucas.com) between 1 September and 15 January each year. A full list of courses can be found on the GSCC website.
Some students may be eligible for a bursary. See the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) (http://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/students) website for further details.
There are two new government initiatives aimed at graduates interested in social work with children, young people and families:
Further details can be found on the Children's Workforce Development Council (CWDC) (http://www.cwdcouncil.org.uk) website.
You need to have relevant experience before being accepted on to the postgraduate course. Gain as much work experience as possible, either through paid positions in community care centres or by undertaking relevant voluntary work.
Candidates will need to show evidence of the following:
Empathy, combined with a genuine desire to improve the quality of the lives of clients, is essential, as is the ability to think on your feet and take difficult decisions under pressure. An interest and/or participation in some aspect of your local community is also useful. General administrative skills, for example, report writing, are also needed.
Contact Community Service Volunteers (CSV) (http://www.csv.org.uk) for details of relevant voluntary work. Your local volunteer bureau may also be able to help you to find opportunities for work experience.
Further information on how to train as a social worker is available on the Social Work Careers (http://www.socialworkcareers.co.uk) and GSCC websites. See also the CDWC website for information on social work with children, young people and families.
The diploma in social work (DipSW) and other previous social work qualifications are still recognised as valid social work qualifications.
For more information, see work experience (www.prospects.ac.uk/workexperience) and find courses and research (www.prospects.ac.uk/pg).
Qualified social workers are required to register with the General Social Care Council (GSCC) (http://www.gscc.org.uk) .
Registered Social Workers (RSWs) are then required to keep their training and learning up to date in order to re-register with the GSCC after an initial three-year period. This can include many different sorts of learning, such as reading, attending conferences/training courses or gaining a post-qualifying award.
The new post-qualifying framework implemented by the GSCC in September 2007, allows social workers to continue their education and training in a flexible and modular way.
There are three levels of awards in the new framework, each corresponding to a stage of professional and career development. The three awards are the:
Five corresponding specialisms link into these awards and they focus on:
Qualified social workers also need to develop skills such as ICT, problem solving, communication, team work and personal and professional development.
There are many different specialism options within social work which you can choose to enter after appropriate induction and training. Career development may involve a change of role within a specialism, e.g. from child protection to fostering and adoption. It is also possible to transfer from one specialism to another, e.g. from working with children to working with the elderly.
Social work is a profession where promotion is likely to take you away from hands-on work.
Three to five years after qualification, it is possible to become a senior practitioner, team or care manager. In this role, you would have responsibility for managing other social workers (with a consequence being a reduction in direct service user contact) and an increasing involvement in managerial, financial and political issues.
Managerial skills are mainly acquired on the job and reinforced by a range of courses, for example the Certificate in Managing Health and Social Care (CertMHSC) and/or the Diploma in Health and Social Services Management.
With a practice teaching award, you could become involved in the supervision and management of social work students and less experienced staff.
The General Social Care Council (GSCC) (http://www.gscc.org.uk) and the Care Quality Commission (CQC) (http://www.cqc.org.uk) are responsible for regulating, auditing and reviewing social care providers. They may also offer opportunities for career development.
Another option is to move from one sector to another (statutory, voluntary and independent). You could also consider training and lecturing roles or opportunities for project work and secondments.
Social workers are employed by:
Settings vary depending on the employer. For example, you may be working in a large department with many hundreds of employees or you could be based in a small organisation where you may be the only professionally qualified member of staff.
After some years' experience, you may be able to work in a self-employed or freelance capacity (securing work through agencies). There is a growing market for locum social workers, especially if you have child protection experience. It may also be possible to offer counselling, therapy or training skills on a freelance basis. Some local authorities and private homes keep a casual relief list.
Search graduate jobs (www.prospects.ac.uk/links/jobvacs).
Recruitment agencies may handle vacancies.
See also job hunting tips (www.prospects.ac.uk/links/jobhunt) and applications, CVs and interviews (www.prospects.ac.uk/links/appsinterviews).
The following Case studies are also available on prospects.ac.uk:
© Content copyright of or licensed to AGCAS (www.agcas.org.uk)
Written by Jonathan Bainbridge, Caroline Kilby and Marlene Simms , Thames Valley University, September 2009.
The work of writers, editors and other contributors is gratefully acknowledged - full details on www.prospects.ac.uk/links/occupations. To view the terms and conditions for the material provided in this publication, please see www.prospects.ac.uk/links/disclaimer