The myriad skills needed by today’s social workers
Last updated 15:54, Wednesday, 07 May 2008
ASOCIAL 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 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 per cent of social workers work with young people and their families. They may also work with the following groups:
l young offenders
l people with mental health problems
l school non-attenders
l drug and alcohol abusers
l people with learning and physical disabilities
l the elderly
Government legislation focusing on the integration of health and social work services means that social workers often work in multidisciplinary teams.
Tasks typically involve:
l undertaking and writing up assessments, often with medical staff, which meet specified standards and timescales
l conducting interviews with service users and their families to assess and review their situation
l offering information and counselling support to service users and their families
l organising and managing packages of support to enable service users to lead the fullest lives possible
l recommending and sometimes making decisions about the best course of action for a particular service user
l liaising with, and making referrals to, other agencies
l participating in multidisciplinary teams and meetings, for example child protection and mental health
l maintaining accurate records and preparing reports for legal action
l giving evidence in court
l participating in training, supervision and team meetings
Salary and Conditions
l Range of typical starting salaries: £19,600 to £29,000.
l Range of typical salaries in management roles with two or three years experience: £24,000 to £40,000.
l Typical salary at senior level or with experience: £50,000 plus.
l There are no national salary scales available, unless you are employed by a local authority or health care trust but even then, variations exist between jobs, employers and regions. Some employers offer ‘golden hellos’ or enhancements, such as a car user allowance or help with child care.
l Working hours are normally 37 hours per week. In residential settings, regular unsocial hours are normal practice. The work is office-based, but with frequent visits to service users.
l The sector in which you work and the structure of your organisation will affect how you operate. You may be the main professional working with the client but, increasingly, you will be part of a multidisciplinary team, working alongside other professionals such as occupational and speech therapists, and psychiatric or community nurses.
l There is currently a shortage of qualified social workers, especially in London and the South East of England.
l Jobs are available in most areas, although availability depends on the size of the local population and the particular social work specialism.
l Part-time work or job shares and career breaks are commonly possible.
l There is a high percentage of women in lower grade posts and a high percentage of men in senior positions. However, this varies according to specialism.
l The nature of social work practice can be both emotionally rewarding and demanding. Working within the profession can be stressful: working conditions are often under-resourced and heavy case-loads are common.
Entry Requirements
Although social work is open to all graduates, a degree in the following subjects may increase your chances:
l social sciences
l education
l psychology
l law
l nursing
A minimum 2:2 honours degree is often needed for entry to postgraduate professional training.
Entry for Diplomates/foundation degree holders is normally via an undergraduate degree in social work. The following subjects may improve your chances or allow some exemptions:
l politics/government/public administration
l legal studies
l social sciences
l social care
A pre-entry qualification approved by the General Social Care Council (GSCC) is essential to become a social worker. The Diploma in Social Work (DipSW) has been replaced by a three-year degree in social work for non-graduates and a two-year postgraduate diploma/Masters for graduates with experience and related studies. The courses include a mix of academic learning and placements in social work settings.
Applications for all courses are made through Universities and Colleges Admmissions Service (UCAS) between September 1 and January 15 each year. A full list of courses can be found on the General Social Care Council website.
Some students may also be eligible for a bursary. Contact the General Social Care Coucil - Bursaries Office for further details.
You should gain as much work experience as possible, either through paid positions in community care centres or by undertaking relevant voluntary work. Check Social Work Student and follow the link to ‘Careers – while studying’ for ideas.
Potential candidates will need to show evidence of the following:
l patience and the ability to remain calm
l resilience
l flexibility to adapt to new roles, tasks and situations
l initiative
l the capacity to absorb legal/procedural information
l the ability to negotiate/mediate/interpret on behalf of clients
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. General administrative skills, for example report writing, are also needed.
Contact Community Service Volunteers (CSV) for details of placement schemes. Your local volunteer bureau may also be able to help you to find opportunities for work experience.
Training
Qualified social workers are required to register with the GSCC
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:
lthe Post-Qualifying Award in Specialist Social Work
lthe Post-Qualifying Award in Higher Specialist Social Work
lthe Post-Qualifying Award in Advanced Social Work
Five corresponding specialisms link into these awards and they focus on: mental health; adult social care; practice education; leadership and management; and children and young people, their families and carers.
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