How to Become a Social Care Worker

Are you thinking about how to become a social care worker? 

This article will help you understand social care workers and how they affect their patients' lives. Just like our health care workers, social care workers also play an important role in providing health facilities to the ones in need.

What is a Social Care Worker?

Social care workers work with individuals and families requiring help. The social care worker employs strengths-based, needs-led techniques to solve the clients' problems. As a social care practitioner, you will interact personally with clients. Your job will be to bring ease to their daily life and environment, creating a nurturing, stable living space.

Social care workers organise and deliver specialised care to vulnerable individuals and groups. You would be expected to lead, challenge, and encourage your clients personally as well as professionally. Some of the many client categories are people with cognitive or physical disabilities. Vulnerable people like the elderly, children, people with chronic/ terminal illnesses and their families all need someone to rely on and are your prospective clients.  

Interpersonal interactions are the foundation of social care work. The need for empathy, practical communication abilities, and self-awareness are crucial personality features. In social care practice, teamwork and multidisciplinary collaboration are also vital.

Having a calm and collected personality is vital to deal with stressful situations. However, it is also essential to handle situations without making unnecessary judgments. Both physical and mental care is of the essence for people who need help in their daily lives. Social care is the right profession for you if you are interested in helping people facing injustice, deprivation, and trauma.

How to become a Social Care Worker

Social care work regulations are in place for each country within the UK. You must register with your area-relevant regulatory body where you want to work. These are the four regulatory bodies working in the UK.

• Health and Care Professionals Council (HCPC)

• Social Care Wales

• Northern Ireland Social Care Council (NISCC)

• Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC)

There are several paths to a profession in social care. The direction you choose in your career helps you to get the proper qualifications.

Starting as a care worker or support assistant, you must acquire at least level 2 qualifications. As you progress in your career, requirements for further qualifications will also be needed. For example, a nursing home care assistant needs to have a Level 2 Diploma in Health & Social Care. However, they could be a Senior care assistant after completing the Level 3 Diploma in Health & Social Care. To be a manager or team leader, you need level 3 and level 4 diplomas.

In order to keep up the required skills and competency, it is fundamental for social care staff to take continuous professional development (CPD). The CPDs are a regular and essential requirement for each social care worker. 

Employers generally prefer social care workers with hands-on experience. It is a good idea to start your career with an apprenticeship. Firstly, it shows that you are passionate about working as a social care worker. Secondly, you can gain firsthand experience in your job. Apprenticeships are a great way to develop new skills and learn through work. 

However, certain employers are willing to hire candidates who have not yet finished their necessary credentials. Suppose you are a learner of a social care qualification and have relevant experience in the field. You also have recommendations from previous employers; then, a new employer can consider hiring you. Some employers are willing to hire staff and let them complete the qualifications during their employment. 

But it is a proper path to complete your qualifications before working as a full-time worker.

Once you gain experience as a social care worker, you can upgrade your career opportunities by becoming a trainer.  

Check out our Health & Social Care Trainer Courses page to know more about your upskilling options. ELN The e-Learning Network offers Train the trainer courses, which qualify you to become a social care trainer for the care courses in which you have competence.

What is the Role of a Social Care Worker?

A social care worker may be required to deliver services in various locations, including:

1. The client's home (domiciliary care)
2. The day centre (a non-residential NHS service for elderly and impaired individuals to interact socially during the day.)
3. A residential or nursing home

In the present era, social care encompasses various areas with specialised services. You typically specialise in adult or child social care. However, a social care worker needs to consider many things apart from formal training. The care-receiving population is as diverse as our country, and specific mindset considerations are crucial. It would be best if you displayed an awareness of others' viewpoints with respect. Regardless of how varied the views may be from your own, a non-judgmental attitude will help you bond with your client.

Your responsibility is to safeguard and support vulnerable citizens at all times. Keeping your appointment in mind, make a good care plan after observing, evaluating, and assessing the specific circumstances. 

An adult care worker and a care worker for children have different circumstances and considerations. But one vital need for a caregiver is to keep the patient's best interest in mind. 

The primary duty of a social care worker includes keeping the patient clean and groomed, taking care of their diet and providing emotional support to them. The worker helps the patient to maintain an independent life. Additionally, the care worker takes care of essential and advised health and safety requirements.

Social Care Worker Salary

The average annual pay for all social care workers is £37,440. This wage is higher than the UK average for all workers, which stands at £26,20.

Social care workers get a salary based on their work experience, qualifications, and whether they work for NHS.

 

Graduate: If you start working during your studies, you can earn £18,000 - £20,000. You can move to £25,000 - £30,000 in the second year of your training programme.

Newly qualified: £24,000 - £30,000 - if you work for the NHS, you will start on a Band 6 salary of £32,306 - £39,027.

Experienced senior: £40,000+ - if you work for the NHS, you will move up to a Band 7 salary of £40,057 - £45,839.

If you are a social care worker, we recommend you to upskill and become a trainer with our Level 3 AET (PTLLS) Course.

If you have any questions about the prices of our courses and the dates of sale, please Contact Us!