Social worker
Social workers help to protect vulnerable children and adults from harm or abuse, and support people to live independently.
- Potential salary
- £32,000 starter to £48,000 experienced per year
- Typical hours
- 37 to 45 a week. Working pattern: evenings / weekends / bank holidays on a rota.
- Career area
- Law and public service
- Where they might work
- You could work in an office, in the community, at an adult care home, at a children's care home or in an NHS or private hospital. Your working environment may be emotionally demanding.
- A typical task
- meet individuals and families to review their needs and make support plans
- Subjects that may help
- 2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree
- Typical route
- You could do a degree in social work approved by Social Work England.
- Interest area used here
- Helping and teaching
What you might do
- meet individuals and families to review their needs and make support plans
- give emotional and practical support to clients
- build trust and confidence with young people to support their wellbeing
- help clients develop and maintain independent living skills
- keep clients safe and take action to protect them when necessary
- work closely with communities, health professionals and other agencies
More tasks (1)
- keep accurate records, write reports and review cases with your supervisors
Could this suit me?
Consider which of these skills and ways of working appeal to you.
- a desire to help people
- sensitivity and understanding
- patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
- to be flexible and open to change
- the ability to work well with others
- the ability to accept criticism and work well under pressure
More skills
- active listening skills
- counselling skills including active listening and a non-judgemental approach
- to be able to use a computer and the main software packages competently
Routes into this career
University route
- You could do a degree in social work approved by Social Work England.
- You could also do a postgraduate degree in social work, if you have a degree in another subject. A postgraduate degree normally takes 2 years.
- You might also be able to get a social work bursary.
- Some universities offer a combined master's degree in nursing and social work (MNSW). You can check Social Work England to find information about approved courses.
University courses that could lead to this career
These are course families, not published offers. A link does not mean the degree is sufficient on its own.
- Counselling Studies
Related, but not enough on its own. Counselling is not social work registration.
- Social Policy
Related, but not enough on its own. Social policy is not a social work qualification.
- Social work
Direct qualifying route. The degree must be an approved social work qualification.
- Sociology
Related, but not enough on its own. Sociology does not confer social work registration. An approved social work qualification is separate.
Apprenticeship or vocational route
- You could apply to do a Social Worker Level 6 Degree Apprenticeship.
- This takes around 3 years to complete and is a mix of work placements and academic study.
- a degree in any subject for a postgraduate course
Other routes
- You'll need experience of working with vulnerable groups or children to apply for most courses or jobs.
- To get skills and experience, you could: apply to be a social work assistant or family support worker; work in the community through a charity; find volunteering opportunities through the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) and Do IT.
- You could do an intensive, work-based training programme to gain a master's degree or postgraduate diploma in social work. To apply you'll need at least a 2:2 (second class) degree.
- Current programmes to support children and families include: Approach Social Work; Step Up to Social Work.
Career progression
- During your first year as a social worker, your employer is likely to offer you professional development, like the Assessed and Supported Year in Employment (ASYE).
- This includes extra support such as: regular supervision; a tailored caseload; training time to complete professional development tasks.
- With experience you could: become a senior practitioner, mentoring new staff and dealing with complex cases; become a practice supervisor or service manager, supporting a team of social workers; specialise in a particular area, such as substance abuse, mental health or child protection; move into research, teaching, consultancy and policy development.
- Explore roles in child and family social work to find out more about career progression options.
Registration and requirements
you'll need to register with Social Work England
pass enhanced background checks
Subjects that may help
Subject guidance
- 2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree
- 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) and A levels, or equivalent, for a degree apprenticeship