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Social workers provide advice and support to vulnerable people. They help protect them and improve their lives. If you’re interested in a role as a social worker, use our career guide to find out what the job includes.
To be recognised as a qualified practitioner, you’ll need to register with the relevant authority (such as Social Work England). You may start as a volunteer, assistant or support worker before registering.
Once you’ve completed your initial training, you could become a specialist in an area like education welfare, homelessness or mental health. You can also move between voluntary, statutory and independent organisations, where you’ll have different kinds of responsibilities in the work you do.
After a few years, you could become more advanced and manage finances, a team of social workers or other organisational areas. This means you might take a step back from working directly with clients. Many social workers also choose to become practice educators and train social work students.
It's possible to become self-employed and find work through relevant agencies, where you could provide therapy or offer your training skills on a freelance basis.
You usually have to renew your professional registration every year. This means you must take part in continuing professional development (CPD), which can include training courses, workshops and events.
Employers often provide training and career development opportunities, such as the Assessed and Supported Year in Employment. Local authorities also have career pathways that might offer the option to study for a higher-level qualification.
Use our Career Matcher to see which industries and roles align best with your interests.
