Social Worker / SafeGuarding Officer

Cont...

A social worker's primary responsibilities are:

 

• Assessment: Social workers assess the needs and circumstances of individuals and families to determine the level of support required.

• Support and Intervention: They provide practical and emotional support to people experiencing difficulties, such as poverty, mental health issues, domestic violence, or substance abuse.

• Advocacy: Social workers advocate on behalf of their clients, ensuring that their rights are protected and that they have access to the services and resources they need.

• Child Protection: In cases involving children and families, social workers play a key role in safeguarding and protecting the well-being of children. This includes interventions in cases of abuse or neglect.

• Counselling: Social workers often provide counselling and therapeutic services to individuals and families dealing with various challenges.

• Collaboration: Social workers collaborate with other professionals and agencies, such as healthcare providers, schools, and legal services, to ensure a comprehensive and coordinated approach to addressing clients' needs.

• Community Development: Some social workers are involved in community development projects, working to enhance the overall well-being of communities and address systemic issues.

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Key skills/talents

Social workers and Safeguarders in the UK require a diverse set of skills to effectively perform their job and provide quality support to individuals and communities. While the specific skills may vary depending on the context and specialisation, here are ten key skills that are generally considered essential for social workers in the UK:

• Communication Skills: Social workers need strong verbal and written communication skills to effectively engage with clients, colleagues, and other professionals. Clear communication is essential for understanding clients' needs, explaining interventions, and collaborating with others.

• Empathy and Compassion: Social workers must be empathetic and compassionate, understanding the emotions and experiences of their clients. This enables them to build trust and rapport and provide emotional support to those facing challenging situations.

• Assessment Skills: The ability to assess and analyse the needs and circumstances of clients is crucial. Social workers use assessment skills to develop appropriate interventions and support plans tailored to the unique situations of individuals and families.

• Critical Thinking: Social workers need strong critical thinking skills to analyse complex situations, identify underlying issues, and make informed decisions. This skill is particularly important when assessing risks and determining the most effective intervention strategies.

• Problem-Solving: Social workers encounter a variety of challenges, and effective problem-solving skills are essential for developing and implementing interventions that address the root causes of issues and promote positive outcomes.

• Cultural Competence: Social workers work with diverse populations, and cultural competence is vital for understanding and respecting different backgrounds, values, and traditions. This skill helps in building rapport and delivering culturally sensitive services.

• Time Management: Social workers often have demanding caseloads and must manage their time effectively. Prioritising tasks, meeting deadlines, and balancing multiple responsibilities are critical aspects of the job.

• Teamwork and Collaboration: Social workers collaborate with other professionals, agencies, and stakeholders to provide comprehensive support. Effective teamwork and collaboration skills are essential for building partnerships and ensuring coordinated care.

• Resilience: Social work can be emotionally challenging, and social workers need resilience to cope with stress, setbacks, and difficult situations. This skill enables them to maintain a high level of professionalism and continue providing support to clients.

• Legal and Ethical Awareness: Social workers must have a strong understanding of legal and ethical principles governing their practice. Adhering to professional codes of conduct and ensuring confidentiality are critical aspects of maintaining trust and integrity in the profession.

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​These skills, combined with a solid foundation of education and ongoing professional development, contribute to social workers' ability to perform their roles effectively and make a positive impact on the lives of the individuals and communities they serve.

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​Qualifications required

Social work is a graduate profession, so you need to be educated to degree-level in order to qualify. Any degree will need to be approved by Social Work England: https://www.socialworkengland.org.uk/education-training

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The majority of UK institutions provide degree courses in the subject, so do your research to find out which is the right one for you.

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If your first degree was in an unrelated subject, your next option is to consider a Masters in social work (MSW), for example the Social Work MA at the University of Northampton. Search postgraduate social work courses.

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If you'd prefer a more hands-on approach there are a number of fast-track training programmes on offer.

• To be eligible for the government's Step Up to Social Work programme you'll need a 2:1 or a 2:2 and a Masters in any discipline except social work: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/step-up-to-social-work

• On the two-year Frontline programme you'll earn a postgraduate diploma and a Masters degree: https://thefrontline.org.uk/develop-your-career/pathways-programme

• To register for the Think Ahead programme you'll need a 2:1 or higher in any subject other than social work: https://thinkahead.org

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Apprenticeships are also available. The Social Worker Level 6 degree apprenticeship takes around 3 years.

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Rules and regs

Social workers in the UK are qualified professionals who are regulated by professional bodies such as:

 

The Health and Care Professions Council in England: www.hcpc-uk.org

The Scottish Social Services Council in Scotland: https://www.sssc.uk.com

The Social Care Wales (SCW), and the Northern Ireland Social Care Council (NISCC). 

 

Social workers adhere to a code of ethics and practice standards to ensure the highest level of professionalism in their work.

 

All Social Workers must register with: 

Social Work England: https://www.socialworkengland.org.uk

Social Work Scotland: https://socialworkscotland.org

Social Care Wales: https://socialcare.wales

Northern Ireland Social Care Council: https://niscc.info

 

All England regulations are laid out here: https://www.socialworkengland.org.uk/about/publications/the-social-workers-regulations-2018

 

The main ‘topics’, which are regularly assessed for each social worker, are:

• Standards of conduct, performance and ethics, which is the ethical framework within which registrants must work 

• Standards of proficiency, which is the professional standards all registrants must meet in order to become registered, and remain on the Register

• Standards of continuing professional development, which is the expectations around demonstrating continuing learning and development with the role and field.

 

There are six principles of safeguarding, which were first introduced by the Department of Health in 2011, but are now embedded in the Care Act:

 

1. Empowerment: People being supported and encouraged to make their own decisions and informed consent

2. Prevention: It is better to take action before harm occurs.

3. Proportionality: The least intrusive response appropriate to the risk presented.

4. Protection: Support and representation for those in greatest need.

5. Partnership: Local solutions through services working with their communities. Communities have a part to play in preventing, detecting and reporting neglect and abuse.

6. Accountability: Accountability and transparency in safeguarding practice.

 

The Care Act statutory guidance defines adult safeguarding as…

Protecting an adult’s right to live in safety, free from abuse and neglect. It is about people and organisations working together to prevent and stop both the risks and experience of abuse or neglect, while at the same time making sure that the adult’s wellbeing is promoted including, where appropriate, having regard to their views, wishes, feelings and beliefs in deciding on any action. This must recognise that adults sometimes have complex interpersonal relationships and may be ambivalent, unclear or unrealistic about their personal circumstances.
 

For more info on The Care Act, click here: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2014/23/contents/enacted

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As a Social Worker in the UK you can arrange to have their own Public Liability Insurance and Professional Indemnity Insurance. This insurance is sometimes covered by your employer, but can be secured independently for extra ease of mind. An example of such insurance, is: https://www.simplybusiness.co.uk/insurance/social-workers

 

If you are a member of the BASW and a resident of the UK, you are covered here: https://new.basw.co.uk/support/insurance-cover

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Remuneration framework

There are no fixed national salary scales for social workers, but salaries for newly qualified social workers are typically between £24,000 and £30,000 depending on the local authority and location. If your first job is within the NHS, you’ll typically start on band 6 with a salary between £32,306 to £39,027.

 

With further responsibilities and experience, salaries in local authorities can rise to around £40,000. Senior posts such as team manager, commissioning manager and head of service can earn in excess of this amount. Within the NHS, you’ll move on to senior roles at band 7 (£40,057 to £45,839).

 

Graduates on the Frontline social work programme will earn while studying for a fully funded postgraduate diploma and Masters degree. You will receive a tax and NI exempt bursary of £18,000 (or £20,000 in London) in the first year of the programme. As a newly qualified social worker in Year 2 of the programme, you'll earn a salary of between £25,000 and £34,000, depending on the location.

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Salaries vary depending on a range of factors, including the local authority you work for, the setting you work in (e.g. adult, mental health), your skills and experience, and your location.

 

Most local authorities would pay travel expenses for journeys made for business purposes. Many local authorities are happy to negotiate flexible working hours, have family-friendly policies and childcare voucher schemes.

 

https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/job-profiles/social-worker

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How to get started

If you are unsure about becoming a social worker, then Safeguarding is a great route in and will give you direct, hands-on experience in this type of ground-level critical care. Through this you can specialise with adults or children (or indeed families). We say/recommend this, because any kind of role in this field is tough in lots of ways, but certainly mentally… It will not be for everyone, in fact it will be for the few, not for the many.

 

All social worker degrees must take place at an approved university, as previously mentioned. A BA Hons in Social Work is available at many UK universities, as well as The Open University. 

 

Use the UCAS website to filter which university would be best for you, and to check out their entry requirements: https://www.ucas.com/explore/search/all?query=Social%20work

 

Here is an example of the degree course at Leicester Uni: https://www.dmu.ac.uk/study/courses/undergraduate-courses/social-work-ba-hons-degree/social-work-ba-hons.aspx

 

Other routes are listed above under the Qualifications section above, and as we’ve said, apprenticeships are also available. The Social Worker Level 6 degree apprenticeship takes around 3 years.

 

It is also highly recommended that you engage in volunteering, particularly with vulnerable groups and/or children, as most courses and jobs call for this kind of work experience and commitment from you. You can find volunteering opportunities here: https://www.ncvo.org.uk/get-involved/volunteering/want-to-volunteer

 

Another way to gain experience is to become a social work assistant: https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/job-profiles/social-work-assistant, or or a Family Support Worker: https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/job-profiles/family-support-worker

 

If funding is an issue, you may be able to apply for a bursary: https://www.gov.uk/social-work-bursaries

 

Social work bursaries:

• Help with living costs and tuition fees

• Don’t depend on your household income

• Don’t have to be paid back

 

In terms of Safeguarding roles, Indeed have a great guide on how to get started in this sector: https://uk.indeed.com/career-advice/finding-a-job/how-to-become-safeguarding-officer

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Associations or official bodies to register with

As previously advised you will need to register with your nation's Social Care authority (the General Social Care Council in England, the Care Council for Wales, the Northern Ireland Social Care Council or with the Scottish Social Services Council).

The British Association of Social Workers (BASW) is the independent professional membership organisation for Social Workers across the UK: https://new.basw.co.uk

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Job site links

Social Worker jobs are readily advertised…

https://findajob.dwp.gov.uk/search?q=social+worker&w=

https://uk.indeed.com/q-social-worker-jobs.html?vjk=9fdd652efed77345

https://www.reed.co.uk/jobs/social-worker-jobs

 

The Guardian have a great list of Safeguarding roles: https://jobs.theguardian.com/landingpage/2867935/jobs-safeguarding-html

 

Indeed also have a list of Safeguarding roles: https://uk.indeed.com/q-safeguarding-jobs.html?vjk=6d3eb7b6a2d55af7

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Progression pathway​

As a Social Worker, your career can go in a number of different directions since the nature of the work is extremely flexible and varied. Some development sees Social Workers move out of frontline Social Work and into management positions, while others in this field may choose to take on more research or study opportunities. Becoming a practice educator is another way for Social Workers to progress and share their skills.

 

As a newly-qualified Social Worker, you’ll typically be encouraged to take part in the Assess and Supported Year in Employment, which includes regular training and development, supervision and result in a ‘fitness to practice’ certificate. Interestingly, the UK government has invested over £6.5 million in this programme since 2012, supporting thousands of social workers through the training. Once you’ve achieved this certificate, you’ll have a training pathway to ensure your skills remain relevant and you can continue progressing in the industry. You’ll be required to complete continuing professional development (CDP) to keep your skills current, re-registering with the HCPC (or other governing body) every two years.

 

Some Social Workers opt to take on further qualifications related to their role, such as counselling or mediation. Many join the British Association of Social Workers to continue learning and developing in the field.

 

During your first year as a social worker, your employer might offer you professional development, like the Assessed and Supported Year in Employment (ASYE): https://www.skillsforcare.org.uk/Regulated-professions/Social-work/Social-work.aspx

 

This includes extra support like:

• Regular supervision

• A training and development plan

• Time to meet your training and development needs

• Progression

 

With experience you could:

• Study for a postgraduate MA in Advanced Professional Practice with a local authority

• Research or study for a PhD

• Move into management

• Become a practice educator and train and mentor students

• Explore roles in child and family social work to find more information on progressing into management and specialist roles

 

You could even change tac and move into Child Protection, if this is an area you feel drawn to and feel you would be able to cope with mentally: https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/job-profiles/child-protection-officer

 

If you start Safeguarding then an obvious career progression is to move into social working and with that, deciding whether you want to work with adults or children.

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Additional links/FYIs

https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/job-profiles/social-worker

 

https://www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/explore-roles/wider-healthcare-team/roles-wider-healthcare-team/clinical-support-staff/social-worker

 

https://learning.nspcc.org.uk/research-resources/2019/introductory-guide-safeguarding-child-protection

 

Below are some great links to information about working with and recognising signs of domestic abuse

 

The National Institute for Healthcare & Excellence (NICE) provide information relating to the topic here: 

https://www.nice.org.uk/about/nice-communities/social-care/quick-guides/recognising-and-responding-to-domestic-violence-and-abuse#training-and-supervision

 

NICE also produce this guide: 

https://www.nice.org.uk/Media/Default/About/NICE-Communities/Social-care/quick-guides/recognising-responding-domestic-violence-abuse-quick-guide.pdf

 

Women's Aid is the national charity working to end domestic abuse against women and children. Their website details further training and qualifications, as well as information for professionals: https://www.womensaid.org.uk/#:~:text=Women's%20Aid%20is%20the%20national,operated%20by%20our%20sister%20federations