My care career

There are opportunities to work in social care in all four UK nations. The requirements are slightly different depending on where you live and work. In Wales, for example, the qualifications are slightly different, and registration with a national body is required for most social care workers. Broadly, however, the first step is to find a job that suits you and have an interview.

Some jobs require a qualification but you can work towards these once you are employed. The qualifications are nearly all work-based and have elements of both knowing and doing. Many qualifications are either fully funded or loans are available to help with costs. There will be an induction to the job, which often includes shadowing more experienced staff and attending some training sessions.

Social care workers can continue in their career to become senior staff or managers. Some decide to take further training and become social workers or specialist practitioners. You might begin your career in a residential care setting for older people but later change to working in the community or offering care in your own home. The skills and knowledge you acquire in your career can be transferred to different settings and different situations, meaning that a career in social care can be flexible.

Where might you find information about working in social care?

Look online or perhaps in your local newspaper for job opportunities. Report back on your findings in Comments.

At this point if you are interested in working with adults and you live in England you might like to visit Every Day is Different where you can insert your postcode and see some of the vacancies that are available near to you.

Find out about I Care Ambassadors. These are are people who work in the social care sector and can offer advice about what working in adult social care is really like.