The critical elements of social care professionals are to look after vulnerable people of all ages. This includes special needs, disadvantaged, and marginalised. Acting as protectors of these individuals, social care workers aim to support and aid those who need it most. Social care covers many jobs, from child protection to working in a nursing home and is hard to define as a single component. The positions involve having highly personal relationships, which require workers with solid communication skills, empathy, and a thick skin, not to mention being flexible with their time when needed most.
An approved degree or a postgraduate programme in social work is essential for a career as a social worker. To become a social worker, potential employees must register with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) after completing their degree. Social Care offers full-time and part-time work, but the part-time job would mainly include youth work or support work widely available in London. Office hours are the usual 35-40 per week but the average working day is most likely outside regular office hours. There is a high chance of working during weekends and national holidays depending on shifts, shortages and emergencies.
Social Care Requirements, a field that needs a University degree in an approved subject such as Healthcare, mental health nursing, and social work. After completing the 3-4 year course, graduates will need to gain experience through an apprenticeship with a healthcare provider. However, it is still possible to get into social care without the approved undergraduate degree, which would be to complete a Postgraduate Diploma (PgDip). The sector will see social care employees working alongside drug addicts, mentally ill patients etc. So, dealing with challenging behaviour while keeping a positive attitude will be beneficial for all parties involved.
According to The National Minimum Dataset for Social Care (NMDS-SC), the number of jobs in the social care sector has been constant over the last few years. In the United Kingdom, the NHS employs over 92,000 social workers but continues to advertise vacancies on their websites. Jobs are available with several departments, including hospitals, nursing homes, mental health clinics, child welfare agencies and many more. Many available jobs are found in smaller cities such as Devon and Norfolk, but London has endless opportunities when searching through different departments. NMDS-SC’s shows that the average salary in the social care sector is £33,400. Those with less than one year of experience will start off earning around £28,000 before climbing the ranks. Experienced professionals average about £36,700 and can still make more depending on what department they are in. Social care professionals can receive an income of £40,000 after switching to intensive therapy.
Kris Paterson is a writer for WhatNews.com.
