Becoming a Social Worker

amibovered?

Could be slightly controversial and suggest that the prison officers also deal with some poeple who are victims. Victims of circumstance etc.
I know of one person who reitred from the police fromce and tried to get into social work and di find the shift in value base difficult. Having said that though nowadays the police have to be more person-centred and have had more training on diversity issues.
I think the police background gives you a real insight into the realities of society.

I also think that you will know that just as the police force isn;t like those men on Heartbeat, social workers aren;t all like the ones in soaps who pop in for a coffee.

Its hard work but I am sure you will enjoy it!!

clemintine

I have worked in both social work and social work education for a while and though it's not my place to advise against this as a career, I would suggest caution.

I have seen real, aggressive, harmful bullying of staff by management.
I have had students in floods of tears, ready to quit due to intimidation and bullying by practice teachers and other social work staff.
I have seen long term abuse of service users by social workers and careres and management trying to ignore this and cover it up.
I've seen social workers wearing stab vests on visits to service users, know of one who was held hostage in a flat by someone with a knife.
Social workers are often complicit in abusive and anti-social behaviour.

The list is endless. It is a thankless job, the people you work with don't want you there, your friends think you are an idiot for doing it and being a "soft touch", the press thikn you take young criminals on safari holidays and knowingly let parents abuse their kids, you're the paedophiles friend when no one else is.

That said, some of it is fun and rewarding and a real challenge but most of the time it doesn't live up to the adverst. And remember if people tell you to f**k off, you can't just cuff 'em and thrown them in the back of a van. You have to deal with it ;-)

If you do go for it, do so with your eyes and mind wide open, enjoy what you can, don't get too down heartened when you can't make much of a difference to most people you work with due to budgetary constraints and beaurocracy and don't get too involved. You need to keep some distance between your punters and you otherwise you can so easily get overwhelmed.

TJH_2

clementine, oh dear!!!
To be honest, I know about the harsh realities of life, when I was a kid I lived it, bobbies and social services were always around our house for one thing or another.
Your comment about chucking the cuffs on made me chuckle, I guess you are right, in my current role at the end of the day I just pass the buck.
I am still doing some research into uni/assisted placement, and while I am not put off, you have given me food for thought.

amibovered? sorry dont know how to quote, re heartbeat, if only things were like that, a bit of poaching here and a bit of rabbiting there! life would be quite sweet.

love_lifer

ive been in social work 17 years and have seen alsorts. as in the private sector there are idiots and bad managment. but most people strive to do a good job. that said, its incredibly stressful- everyone hates you, and results are hard to recognise.
but, if you fancy it, go for it. unqualified social care staff get good rates of pay and its a way of seeing first hand if being a social worker is what you want to do.
have a read of community care magazine- its online as well as hard copy-it has some good stuff in it and also jobs

quidsinquentin

Truthfully, I would advise against it in the current climate.

I know several SW's and have been in contact with many more.

For some reason, they often appear to be universally despised, almost on a par with solicitors and estate agents (apologies to Sol's and EA's).

My friends are either trying to get out, change jobs or are just sinking. There are so many re-priorities and cut-backs the service - and I use the word lightly - is genuinely suffering. Actually, I don't think it's worth the name 'service'.

The SW's I know also tell me that they work with too many incompetent people just in it for the money - although I don't think the decent ones get paid enough.

minders_mum

Hi,
It was great to read your post. I am a soon to be 40yr old with 2 very small boys (3 & 6months). I too have an overwhelming urge to change my career.

I have an urge to become a primary school teacher and have secured a place on an Access course at a local college for September 2007. I am giving up a full time job and it is very scary to say the least. Having said that the college have informed me that they I will probably get free childcare for both children via college funding and the local Jobcentre have given me an indication of the amount of Tax Credits I will get, which means I wont be much worse off!
It sounds too good to be true!

All I can say is that the college have been really helpful, so speak to your local college.

animal-lover_2

I worked in a social work team for 18 months, but worked in Social Services for over 5 years. The job is both rewarding AND a thankless task. What happened in our team is that people left, the remaining staff had their caseloads increased to stupid levels, more people left ... The team got a bad reputation so there were often no applicants for vacancies - at best, one or two applicants (competition for jobs can be high??? not where I worked in Mental Health, and not in children's services anywhere!).
But maybe there are better teams - it's possible.
You could try volunteering in a similar area to see if it's for you

tigerjock

I'd say go for it, i've wanted to do it for the last 3-4 years but as i bring home the larger salary i can't justify dropping from 30k to go into full time education as it would put us under severe financial strain....but i do envy you and wish you all the very best

purple12

I'll chip in as another social worker who has been qualified for just about 10 years. Not all teams are bullying. I have a wonderfully supportive team environment and genuinely love my job. Not every day of course, you have to have a mental resilience and toughness and be willing of course, to advocate for those whom you work on behalf of but also to advocate for yourself if you are in a position where power is being abused.

I have done other jobs but am really happy to have found a supporting and supportive environment in which to work..

I work in adults services and very happily so. It isn't all bad news though! And not all managers are bullies!

Good luck!

jmd4eva

my mum has just graduated from the open university with a social work degree...

she got a job as a children and family worker with the council, and then they offered to pay for her to do the open university course, whilst still working...