Social Worker Job Description: Top Duties and Qualifications

A Social Worker, or a Case Worker provides support for adults and children who face social, economic, health or addiction challenges in their lives. Their duties include conducting interviews to assess problems, putting together support plans and providing protection for adults and children who are under threat of abuse.

 

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Social Worker duties and responsibilities

The duties of Social Workers vary, depending on whether they work in a statutory or non-statutory setting. Many Social Workers specialise in a field, such as child protection services or working with adults with mental health problems. In general, however, the duties of these professionals include the following:

  • Assessing the need for care and protection of individuals or families
  • Ensuring that individuals or families receive the necessary support and protection
  • Assisting in the implementation of policies that aim to safeguard the vulnerable and uplift communities
  • Making recommendations or referrals to other services or agencies
  • Creating and maintaining accurate case files and records
  • Regularly meeting with supervisors 
  • Developing accurate assessments, which may entail collaborating with other professionals
  • Working in multidisciplinary teams, which may include health professionals, occupational therapists, psychiatrists and teachers

 

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Social Worker Job Description Examples:

 

Example 1

The Huntercombe Group is a specialist healthcare provider in the UK. We look after children and young people with mental health needs and eating disorders (CAMHS) and adults with learning disabilities, mental health needs and brain injuries. We are currently seeking a Social Worker to work in our Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) at The Huntercombe Hospital Stafford located in Wheaton Aston, 10 miles from Telford & 12 miles from Wolverhampton. The hospital is a 36 bed Tier 4 CAMHS hospital for young people aged 12 -18 years with a range of mental health disorders and includes the following units: Adolescent Care Acute Psychiatric Eating Disorders There is FREE Parking at hospital which is located close to the village of Wheaton Aston, 10 miles from Stafford and just 6 miles from the M6 motorway. We employ an experienced and fully trained multidisciplinary team of staff and provide ongoing support with comprehensive training, learning and development opportunities. This exciting and dynamic role will place you at the heart of a clinical team, working closely with patients and other healthcare professionals. Most patients and residents are referred via NHS and local authorities. We play an integral part in contributing to new models of care outlined in the Five Year Forward View. As a Social Worker working in our Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) your main duties will be: To provide social work input to the assessment, treatment and rehabilitation of patients within the service. To undertake pre-admission assessments as part of the hospital team and particularly where social care issues appear prominent. To contribute to rehabilitation planning for patients moving through the care pathway to less restrictive environments Taking the lead role on within the Hospital in relation to child protection issues Providing support and advice in the respect of the Children Act in addition to the Mental Health Act with particular emphasis on safeguarding, advocating and discharge planning Attending and participating in clinical team meetings, Mental Health Review Tribunals and management meetings Providing written and or verbal report to Child Protection Case Conferences and other related Children Act proceedings To join The Huntercombe Group as a Social Worker you will:
  • Hold a recognised professional qualification in Social Work
  • Be registered with HCPC
  • Have detailed knowledge of safeguarding legislation, policies and procedures
  • Be skilled in developing positive relationships with external and internal departments, family, carers and other stakeholders
  • Be a confident IT user
  • Able to work as part of a team
  • Able to use regular supervision and training to reflect on practice and develop new skills
  • Have proven knowledge of relevant legislation including Mental Health Act 1983/2007 and the Mental Capacity Act 2005 as it relates to social workers. In return we offer you:
  • A thorough induction programme tailored to the hospital where you will be working
  • Clear pay structure, with competitive rates
  • Generous annual leave entitlement
  • Sick pay of 4 weeks full pay and 4 weeks half pay
  • The opportunity to participate in a company contributory pension scheme with up to 3% matching contributions
  • Maternity leave at 3 month’s full pay and 3 month’s half pay, (up to a maximum salary of £50k)
  • 2 weeks paid paternity leave
  • Shared parental leave, matching the maternity leave benefit
  • Death in service benefit equivalent to 2 x salary
  • A range of staff discounts
  • Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) We welcome applications from everyone irrespective of ethnic origin, gender, age, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, marital status, disability or social background. This is a great opportunity for someone to make a difference. An enhanced DBS (England) or PVG/Disclosure Scotland (Scotland) Disclosure will be required for all successful applicants. Costs will be met by the Company. If you like what you have read, are dynamic, forward thinking and keen to learn, with a confident ‘CAN DO’ approach in all you do, please click Apply now. To learn more about The Huntercombe Group please visit our website. Reference ID: 1252 Job Types: Full-time, Permanent Salary: £31,765.50-£35,080.50 per year Benefits: * Company pension * On-site parking * Store discounts Experience: * social work: 1 year (required) * HCPC (required) Work remotely: * No

    • Example 2

    *Job Title: Supervising Social Worker* *Location: Home Based covering the West Midlands. Predominantly Worcestershire, Birmingham & Black Country* *Contract Type: Permanent, Full time* *Salary: up to £34,000 per annum* *Car Allowance: £3,000* About the Role We have a fantastic opportunity for an experienced social worker to join our team at Child Care Bureau covering the Worcestershire, Birmingham and Black Country area. The ideal candidate will share our ongoing commitment in providing excellence in the quality placements we provide for the children and young people in our care. This is a permanent, full time position. Supervising Social Workers are responsible for managing fostering resources in an allocated area. The successful candidate will be responsible for recruiting, assessing, supervising, training and supporting foster carers and their placements. Your primary responsibility will be providing quality and professional services by supervising and supporting allocated foster carers, their placements and completing necessary documentation. This is your chance to join a high achieving team at Child Care Bureau. About the Group We are part of the National Fostering Group – the UK’s largest independent fostering family. Our highly skilled and dedicated fostering community supports Local Authorities by providing short or long-term foster placements for thousands of vulnerable children and teenagers throughout the UK. With 100% of our 30 regional fostering agencies officially recognised by Ofsted, Welsh and Scottish regulators as either ‘Outstanding’ or ‘Good’, it is perhaps not surprising that more people choose to foster with our fostering agencies than any other fostering provider in the UK. Child Care Bureau is based in Worcester and covers the whole of Worcestershire and the wider West Midlands. Our most recent Ofsted Inspection reported our agency as 'Good'. Please find out more here: Who we are looking for You will need to be a qualified Social Worker and possess a good working knowledge of relevant legislation and their impact on fostering services. Participation in an evening and weekend on call rota is expected and no additional payment is included. You will be a strong communicator, both written and verbal, have good IT skills and be flexible and able to travel throughout the area. Essential Criteria * Qualified Social Worker * Car driver and access to a vehicle * Current registration with the relevant Social Work regulatory council (e.g Social Work England/Wales, NISCC, SSSC) * Recent experience in services for children Why work for us? * Holidays starting at 25 days per annum * Extensive training suite * Career development across the Group * Professional support network * Pension * “Your Wellbeing Matters"- access to a wide range of first-class mental health support services * Employee Rewards Hub – access to discounts, offers and cashback with 100s of retailers We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and we expect all employees to share this commitment and undertake appropriate checks. We are an Equal Opportunities Employer Reference ID: 132271 Application deadline: 11/06/2021 Job Types: Full-time, Permanent Salary: Up to £34,000.00 per year Benefits: * Bike to work scheme * Company pension * Employee discount * Life insurance * Referral programme * Sick pay * Store discounts * Work from home Schedule: * Monday to Friday Work remotely: * Yes

    Example 3

    Senior Health & Social Care Support Worker - Care at Home Lochaber B - Ballachulish 5.75 hours per week, Permanent Salary Scale: Band 3 £21,709 - £23,603 pro rata per annum Reference: ES5 056331 Highland Health and Social Care Services help people from all walks of life, as well as their families or carers. Health and Social Care in Highland provides help and assistance in many situations arising due to illness, disability, old age or poverty. The post is responsible for supporting the provision of a Care at Home Service in the Ballachulish area for vulnerable people; providing assistance with key tasks which maintain and promote the independence for people in their own homes. For further information please refer to the job specification. This post is 3.15-5pm shift working on a 4 day on 4 day off rotational basis so includes weekend working. In order to be able to carry out the duties of this post effectively and safely, candidates will be able to provide evidence of experience in dealing with vulnerable adults, especially older people, preferably in a caring capacity. Applicants must have good communication skills – both verbally and in writing. SVQ Level 3 in Care, or a willingness and ability to work towards this qualification within an agreed time scale. Successful applicants will be required to register with the Scottish Social Services Council. For further information please refer to the person specification. You will be required to work flexibly in order to meet service requirements. A driving licence is essential for this post and applicants should have access to their own vehicle for work purposes. Informal enquiries regarding the post to: Linda Withers, Care at Home Officer, on 01397 709826, or by email at [email address] Closing date for completed Applications: Monday 21st June 2021 Please note that we are unable to accept late applications Please NOTE – You should apply for this post by completing the application process on Job Train. Please DO NOT Upload a CV as this will not be used for short listing purposes Your internet browser may not connect to JobTrain, an alternative to try is Google Chrome For help to complete an application on Job Train please click on this link Short-listed applicants will normally be contacted by email, unless otherwise stated. Please check your emails regularly, including your junk/spam folder.

    Example 4

    Senior Health & Social Care Support Worker - Care at Home Lochaber B – Fort William Area 10.5 hours per week, Permanent Salary Scale: Band 3 £21,709 - £23,603 pro rata per annum Reference: ES5 056338 Highland Health and Social Care Services help people from all walks of life, as well as their families or carers. Health and Social Care in Highland provides help and assistance in many situations arising due to illness, disability, old age or poverty. The post is responsible for supporting the provision of a Care at Home Service in the Fort William area for vulnerable people; providing assistance with key tasks which maintain and promote the independence for people in their own homes. For further information please refer to the job specification. This post is 11am-2pm shift working on a 4 day on 4 day off rotational basis so includes weekend working. In order to be able to carry out the duties of this post effectively and safely, candidates will be able to provide evidence of experience in dealing with vulnerable adults, especially older people, preferably in a caring capacity. Applicants must have good communication skills – both verbally and in writing. SVQ Level 3 in Care, or a willingness and ability to work towards this qualification within an agreed time scale. Successful applicants will be required to register with the Scottish Social Services Council. For further information please refer to the person specification. You will be required to work flexibly in order to meet service requirements. A driving licence is essential for this post and applicants should have access to their own vehicle for work purposes. Informal enquiries regarding the post to: Linda Withers, Care at Home Officer, on 01397 709826, or by email at [email address] Closing date for completed Applications: Monday 21st June 2021 Please note that we are unable to accept late applications Please NOTE – You should apply for this post by completing the application process on Job Train. Please DO NOT Upload a CV as this will not be used for short listing purposes Your internet browser may not connect to JobTrain, an alternative to try is Google Chrome For help to complete an application on Job Train please click on this link Short-listed applicants will normally be contacted by email, unless otherwise stated. Please check your emails regularly, including your junk/spam folder.

    What does a Social Worker do?

    Social Workers work with individuals, families and communities to help them overcome various challenges and gain improved control over their lives. These professionals work in various settings, including hospitals, children’s homes, frail care centres and schools. They also provide support for impoverished communities and families that face societal issues like substance abuse, lack of education and violence. 

    Social workers can work in either statutory or non-statutory roles. Those in statutory placements, such as child protection or adult safeguarding, can stage statutory interventions when necessary to protect vulnerable parties. Social workers who are placed in non-statutory settings don’t have such powers. 

     

    Social Worker skills and qualifications

    The job of a Social Worker involves constant interaction with diverse groups of people and individuals, including disadvantaged communities, supervisors and other professionals, it’s essential that they therefore have excellent interpersonal and communication skills. Apart from needing to actively listen to clients and co-workers, they must be able to clearly articulate plans and ideas. A successful Social Worker candidate will have various prerequisite skills and qualifications, that typically include:

    • Empathetic nature to adequately understand clients’ predicaments and provide the necessary support
    • Excellent organisational skills to successfully prioritise the many different aspects of the job
    • Strong critical thinking to objectively evaluate each case and determine the best path of action
    • Patience to successfully deal with complex cases and clients who may not progress as expected
    • Superior emotional intelligence and maturity to cope with the emotional demands of the job
    • Effective analysis, assessment and planning skills

     

    Social Worker experience requirements

    The level of experience a Social Worker needs varies from position to position. Whereas some positions are a good fit for newly qualified Social Workers, others require professionals with many years of social work experience. The specific position will also dictate what type of experience a Social Worker needs, whether this is proven ability to work with children or experience in working with adults with mental health issues. Employers may also ask that candidates show awareness of relevant legislature and have experience in creating professional assessments and reports.

     

    Social Worker education and training requirements

    To gain access to the profession, Social Workers need an honour’s or postgraduate degree in social work. In addition, the degree has to be approved by the regulator, Social Work England. Employers may still accept candidates who possess a diploma in social work (DipSW) or other previous social work qualifications. However, institutions in England aren’t offering such courses any longer. Newly qualified candidates can consolidate their learning and develop their professional skills by completing an Assessed and Support Year in Employment (ASYE) programme. In addition, Social Workers need to pass enhanced background checks.

     

    Social Worker salary expectations

    According to Indeed Salaries, the average salary for a Social Worker is £27.49 per hour. However, salaries vary depending on factors like location, employer and level of experience.

     

    Job description samples for similar positions

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    Social Worker job description FAQs

     

    What are the hours of a Social Worker?

    Many Social Workers occupy full-time positions and have normal Monday to Friday, 40-hour workweeks. However, when they are on call, they have to be available at all times to respond as needed. In addition, visiting clients, dealing with tough cases or attending meetings may require working evenings and over weekends.

     

    What are the different types of Social Workers?

    There are many different kinds of Social Workers who all work in specialised areas in the field. Examples include healthcare, psychiatric, community and hospice and palliative care Social Workers.

     

    What is the difference between a Social Worker and a Case Manager?

    While Social Workers help clients cope with various challenges in their lives, Case Managers provide assistance with practical tasks, such as connecting an individual to welfare services.

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