If you already know that this is the role for you, like I do, then you will hopefully find this useful.
I started an Access course last year as a mature student and will finish in July this year - I'm really looking forward to it!
I decided on the Social Work course for university, because I am fascinated by people, their problems and how to work to solve them. I thought long and hard about other degree courses, but realised halfway through my Access course that I'm not really much of a studier - I'm more of a hands-on person who needs to not get bored, so this course is totally ideal for me in pursuing the career I have chosen.
(This would be the main reason why it took so long to get back to the studying thing.)
I started writing this as part of a project to hand in but never really finished it and did something else instead - I decided to post it on here in the hope that it would be a more beneficial read to someone on here rather than getting dusty on a shelf somewhere!
If you want to pursue a career in the social work field, you have to know what you're in for.
Social work is all about people. Consider how many different types of people there are in Britain today - the young, teenagers, the old. Then are different races; groups of people, such as the mentally ill, disabled, the abused, substance abusers, offenders and the homeless.
Together these people make up society, and anyone, regardless of age, colour or social background can be affected by something such as disability or abuse, that brings them to an ultimate point in their lives when the assistance of an outside agency is crucial.
This is where social workers come in, with the aim to resolve the problems that the vulnerable face on a day to day basis.
Social workers can work in different settings, but the main ones are:
local authority social services;
education departments and special schools;
residential care homes, day centres, drop-in and community projects;
trusts, hospitals and multi-disciplinary health care teams or GP practices;
youth justice teams and projects.
They are go betweens for various institutions; they have to liase with health services, law enforcement, education, all the while sticking to the Government policies that are set aside for the area in which they work.
The 'Social Work' bit of the job title is so diverse - you could work with anything from Child Protection Services to Educational Welfare, to Mental Health organisations, basically being, as described above, the crucial outside agency that literally can save a person's life (or save them from themselves!). Pretty much all of these 'departments' overlap, so career progression is endless.
A typical task can be anything from checking that a person with a disability has the means to live independently within their own home, or ensuring that a child in supported housing goes to live with a suitable family, to working with the probationary service in recommending the best course of action to take over a young offender.
Cases such as these are assigned to the social worker, and they take responsibility for their completion.
Social workers usually specialise in a particular area, supporting people who are affected by any of the problems listed above. The area that most work in is with children, young people and their families.
It takes a special kind of person to become a social worker, as strong personal traits are an essential part of fulfilling each task role.
Patience
Empathy
Detachment
Whereas it would not be good to become too emotionally involved in a particularly sensitive case, you would need to show understanding in order to relate to the individual (s) concerned.
Tact
Diplomacy
Maturity
Remember that whichever sector of this career you choose to work in, you are in a position of trust and authority, and the people that you are providing a service to are vulnerable and trust you to be able to help them. At times you will often be put into difficult situations such as dealing with a person (bigger than you!) with threatening behaviour, or working with someone with mental health difficulties that should not be aggravated in any way. Being mature means that you can deal with a complicated situation and are able to make a sensible decision rather than panicking.
Solid communication, team-working and interpersonal skills
Organisation and self discipline
As mentioned earlier, close liaisons with other agencies and speaking to the diverse individuals who use the service are an essential part of the job. The ability to be able to express oneself accurately and efficiently is vital, as any delays or miscommunication could result in serious errors in any being action taken.
Observational
Analytical
Of course, during investigations, there are times when people will lie to you in order to get you off their backs as they may have something to hide, so your observational and analytical skills will need to be sharp. You will also need these to effectively monitor any improvements or decline in competence displayed in each of your cases.
Professionalism
Motivation and focus
Still, it is almost impossible to provide the best service available if you are judgemental about an individual's situation, or cannot see their case through to the end. If you can't be positive about their case, how can they?
Being able to see the bright side
This can be a life consuming career. If you let a bad day/week get the better of you, stress takes over and the enjoyment in both your work and your personal life disappears. Remember why you chose your career and the things that you have managed to accomplish.
The qualifications and experience required
On top of the personal traits required to complete a social worker's role effectively, you must also have a professional qualification. In England, this is a three year degree in social work (currently an Honours) which is available at most universities and through distance learning both part time and full time, though graduates and mature entrants with relevant experience can complete this earlier.
Applications are usually through UCAS, but check with your chosen place of study. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own equivalent qualification. The degree includes 200 days of practice learning in at least two settings, to ensure students have the hands-on experience. As with most occupational degrees, it is no good just reading all about the job, unless everything goes by the book!
To be eligible for entry into the Social Work honours degree, it is extremely beneficial, almost essential that you have relevant work or personal experience, paid or unpaid, that has you area able to state on your application has stimulated your interest in pursing this course. Universities have their own entrance requirements, but they usually expect that you should have Key Skills level 2 in English and Mathematics which is equivalent to a grade C at GCSE level, and at least two A levels in order to apply to do the degree.
If you do not have two A levels, a further education equivalent, in Law, Health and Social Care or Social Sciences is strongly preferred. Separate institutes do value the maturity, life experience and interest that you have as an individual however, and if you do have work or voluntary experience in the social/community field, this is very favourable. It is best to discuss this with them directly, as you need to demonstrate that you have both the aptitude and dedication to be able to successfully complete this degree course.
Employment based routes
If you already have an undergraduate degree with some element of social studies, such as Sociology, Social Policy or Psychology, you may apply to study for a post-graduate social work qualification, or if you have already been working in the sector, you may be able to complete this in a shorter timescale than the standard three years.
Within Britain, it is individual local authorities that are the biggest employers of social workers, as they cover all of the main settings mentioned at the beginning of this piece. These often recruit people for the social sector who have applicable or transferable skills for the role available, so can be an excellent way in. You will find that with working for a local council, your life experience, wisdom and willingness to learn are just as valuable as your qualifications. It is helpful to pick up copies of council jobs papers, (often free frrom libraries, town halls and large newsagents) and look at the jobs available which don't specify the necessity of a qualification. Although most of these roles are administrative or generally customer service based, they are a good way of providing a basic knowledge of your chosen field, if you have decided on one already. If not, the experience and employability you will achieve for the future if you manage to successfully gain a position will nevertheless be valuable. There are so many fields that overlap that any opportunity will provide another chance to progress.
Also try online jobsites, the big newspapers (Guardian on a Wednesday is pretty good), and local papers for other opportunities outside of your local authority.
This is also where you will usually find volunteering opportunities available. There are also a few websites that are dedicated to volunteer workers, such as www.timebank.org.uk and www.do-it.org.uk. Even if you only have one afternoon free each week, this time will be much appreciated by someone who needs it if you use it to volunteer.
Again, you will be able to list this achievement proudly on your CV/UCAS application form, as a useful way to demonstrate your interest in the area specified.
Quite often, there are paid and unpaid roles available which state that a qualification is advantageous, but eagerness to train towards one is also desirable.
If you take this latter route into your career with a Council, they usually allow vast in-house training opportunities, and some even offer a funded part-time place on the Social Work degree course. (While noseying at public/social sector jobs on local council websites, which are very easy to find, the ones that I came across that advertised this funded degree were mainly City Councils such as mine - Manchester City Council.)
Other employers, such as private residential homes or childcare based employers may also offer similar benefits; perks in the way of training towards work-based certificates such as NVQs - check to see if they promote this on their job advertisements, or enquire.
The financial aid:
Those who are not already funded through training by an employer, who are interested in pursuing a degree in social work are entitled to bursary of up to £2,900 per year as well as full payment of tuition fees and £500 placement costs, to cover the cost of travel to the placement. This is paid for by the General Social Care Council. The actual bursary amount given by the Council will depends on where you live, whether you are studying full or part time and they will also pay the university or college the full amount of any tuition fees that are not already covered by the local authority. The bursary will not affect any other student entitlements, and usually does not affect other income related benefits - however, it is best to check with the Benefits Office. To apply for the bursary and to check your entitlement to any other funding, you would need to contact the General Social Care Council directly.
If you are employed in the voluntary or independent sector, the employer will still have access to funding from the GSCC and also through Local Authorities to support you through your learning.
Clearance:
You will need to undergo a Criminal Records Bureau check before you start your training. This is also requested for a lot of work-based or volunteering opportunities that involve working closely with people who use the service. This is because social workers are required to work in a position of trust with people of all ages who are extremely vulnerable in some way.
The Bureau is an executive agency of the Home Office, that provides access to criminal records and other information about individuals through a service called Disclosure.
This requires you to fill in a paper form with your personal details, which will be protected. This Disclosure is to ensure that all people who are cleared to work with these people are suitable to do so.
You will also need to enlist yourself onto the Social Care Register. This is compulsory - without this completed registration, you will not be allowed to practice as a Social Worker. This is register is of a list of people who work in social care, and have been assessed as trained and fit to be in the workforce. At the moment, social workers and social work students are currently the only groups joining the register - the General Social Care Council (GSCC) will be looking at covering all different levels in time. The GSCC are the official independent regulating body for workers in the social care sector. They enforce the policies and codes of practice that are rigidly set out for the social worker. It also sets conditions for the training, qualifications, and on-going professional development for the social worker. Registration will ensure that those working in this field meet meticulous requirements and will hold them to account for their conduct. Qualifications, health and good character are carefully checked as part of the registration process. If already registered, social workers are also required to complete post-registration training and learning activities before renewing their registration every three years.
What to expect:
Social workers usually work irregular hours, often on a 24-hour roster, to provide around the clock cover. Some settings do allow working office hours, such as educational or medical settings, though stand-by duty may be necessary.
Employers in this sector are often very sympathetic to your other responsibilities outside of work and often allow part-time or job share working. Flexible working is available in some settings (usually residential settings)- a time is set where you must be in to work, such as between 12pm and 4pm, but you can choose to add your hours either before of after this obligatory shift time.
Social workers' time is generally split between the office, clients' homes, day centres, hospitals and health centres. Some time may also be spent in court, and social workers need to travel around so practical roles do state that you must have a full and clean driving license and your own vehicle that you are willing to use for work.
Salaries for social workers are usually based on qualifications, experience, responsibilities and location. Once qualified however, you can expect to earn a starting salary of around £18,000 which can rise to around £26,000 after three years of post-qualified experience, which takes into account the knowledge that you will have gained and the extra on-job training you will have completed (have a look at things like online 'salary checkers' and job search sources for a better idea or salaries in your area).
As you can see, the process of becoming and being declared a fit and competent social worker is painstakingly thorough. However, there are few other jobs that have as much satisfaction in seeing the lasting result and in knowing that it wouldn't have happened without you.
I hope that this has been useful for anyone thinking about taking up a social work career - I would appreciate any posts so that I can update any missing bits.
Ta.
(;-))
Becoming a qualified Social Worker 
