Social Worker

Responsibilities

• Many social workers work with young people and their families. You might also work with the following groups:
• the elderly
• people with learning and physical disabilities
• young offenders
• people with mental health conditions
• school non-attenders
• drug and alcohol abusers
• the homeless.

Tasks typically involve:

• conducting interviews with individuals and families to assess and review their situation
• undertaking and writing up assessments (sometimes in collaboration with other professionals), which meet specified standards and timescales
• offering information and support
• organising and managing packages of support to enable people to lead the fullest lives possible
• recommending and sometimes making decisions about the best course of action for a particular person or family
• liaising with, and making referrals to, other agencies
• participating in multidisciplinary teams and meetings regarding, for example, child protection or mental health
• maintaining accurate records and preparing reports for legal action
• giving evidence in court
• participating in training, supervision and team meetings.

Qualifications

• Social work is a graduate profession and you will need either an honours or a postgraduate degree in social work to find employment. The degree will need to be approved by one of the four regulators. These are:
• Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) - in England
• Social Care Wales - in Wales
• Northern Ireland Social Care Council (NISCC) - in Northern Ireland
• Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) - in Scotland.
• Although the diploma in social work (DipSW) and other previous social work qualifications are still recognised as valid social work qualifications, they are no longer offered to new entrants.
• If you have an HND or foundation degree you will require an undergraduate degree in social work, although the following subjects may improve your chances of entering the profession:
• legal studies
• politics, government or public administration
• social care
• social sciences.