Social work
is all about people
Social workers form partnerships with people: helping
them to assess and interpret the problems they face,
and supporting them in finding solutions. As advisor,
advocate, counsellor or simply as listener, a social
worker will try to help people to live more successfully
within their local communities. Social work involves
engaging creatively with people, their families,
friends and other important influences in their
lives.
Social workers may work with parents and children
who are struggling in the face of deprivation,
disability, or abusive behaviour. Or young adults
who are finding it hard to handle the pressures
of living independently. People who are dealing
with mental health problems. Disabled people.
People with HIV/AIDS. Or older people who need
some support to maintain their independence as
age takes its toll.
It's a worthwhile, varied
career
Social work puts you in a responsible position,
which requires training and professionalism. Being
interested in people is important, but it's not
enough. Social workers also have to be quick-thinking,
thorough, persuasive… above all, absolutely
committed in seeing that what needs to be done
gets done.
Social workers will work with different user
groups at various stages in their careers. These
are the broad areas:
Children, young people and families
About half of social workers are involved in some
way with supporting and protecting children and
young people as well as their families. The roles
in this area include providing assistance and
advice to keep families together, working in children's
homes, or managing the processes of foster care
or adoption.
Adults
Social work with adults offers an incredible variety
of roles, including work with people who are facing
family or other difficulties, people with mental
health problems, people with disabilities, offenders
and older people who need assistance in their
daily lives
There are other plusses that social workers talk
about. You're not stuck behind a desk. Every day
is different. You have scope to manage your own
time and make your own decisions. But as part
of a team you'll enjoy professional support and
training to develop your skills. It's a worthwhile,
varied career: with a wide range of different
settings, job opportunities all over the country,
and good pension and other benefits attached to
most positions.
The wider world of social
care
Social care work is much wider than simply social
work. For all sorts of reasons and at various
stages in their lives, people need help coping
with the day-to-day business of living. Social
care staff provide this practical support.
Social care work is about helping people in difficulty
to live their lives. There's a huge range of jobs
to choose from, and that means you should be able
to find a job with flexible working patterns that
you can match to your own circumstances. You could
work full-time, or part-time or flexible hours
around family or other commitments. Either way
you'll be doing a job that offers close contact
with people and constant variety.
Social care: just a job?
Or a career?
You'll be given training in the skills you need
to do the job well. And if you want to take it
further, there will be plenty of opportunities
to acquire more skills and qualifications. Some
social care staff go on to become social workers,
responsible for assessing and planning the levels
of support that children and adults might need,
and planning its implementation.
If you like working with people, social care
offers a worthwhile job that could turn into a
rewarding career.
Training for care
Social care training is led by the NVQ system
(SVQs in Scotland), plus compulsory induction
and foundation training in England. This kind
of training is undertaken once you are in employment,
and may be part of a Modern Apprenticeship. To
qualify as a social worker, however, it is necessary
to hold the Diploma in Social Work (DipSW), which
is being replaced by a degree in social work from
2003 (England) or 2004 (Scotland, Wales, Northern
Ireland). Information on social work training
is handled by the regulatory councils for social
care/services in each country.
In addition, the social care sector has a non-regulatory
employment-led body called Topss, which advises
employers and training providers on training issues
and sets occupational standards. In Scotland,
Wales and Northern Ireland, Topss is integrated
into the regulatory councils listed here, but
Topss England is separate from the General Social
Care Council, but may take over some of its social
work training information functions in the course
of 2002-2003:
Topss England
Albion Court, 5 Albion Place, Leeds LS1 6JP
Tel 0113 245 1716
info@topssengland.org.uk
www.tgp.org.uk
The regulatory councils are:
General Social Care Council
(in England)
Goldings House, 2 Hay's Lane, London SE1 2HB.
Tel 020 7397 5100
info@gscc.org.uk
www.gscc.org.uk
Care Council for Wales
/ Cyngor Gofal Cymru
6th/ed Floor'Llawr, Southgate House, Wood Street,
Cardiff/Caerdydd CF10 1EW.
Careers line / Llinell Gyrfaoedd: 0800 316 9601
info@ccwales.org.uk
www.ccwales.org.uk
Scottish Social Services
Council
Compass House, Discovery Quay, 11 Riverside Drive,
Dundee DD1 4NY
Tel. 01382 207101
Lo-call 0845 6030 891
enquiries@sssc.uk.com
www.sssc.uk.com
Northern Ireland Social
Care Council
7th Floor, Millennium House, 19-25 Great Victoria
Street, Belfast BT2 7AQ
Tel 02890 417600
info@niscc.n-i.nhs.uk
www.niscc.info
These organisations are grateful to the Department
of Health for help with this advert.
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