World Social Work Day

Today is World Social Work Day!

Social services help hold communities in Wales together. But what does it involve, and who does it help?

Social services exist to provide support that’s focused on improving the well-being of families, children, adults and carers.

Though the role of social services is complex and varied, it is underpinned by providing vital care and support. They provide a voice for families, children, adults and carers, creating a safe and healthy environment.

Visit our Social Services page for more information:

Social Services

What do Social Workers do?

Social Workers aim to improve the lives of the people they work with. They support people through social and personal difficulties, while promoting their human rights and well-being.

They work with individuals, supporting their relationships with their families, groups and links to their community. Helping them to recognise their strengths, develop their skills and work on problems or challenges they may be facing.

Visit our Social Worker page for more information:

Social Worker

Interested in becoming a Social Worker?

It may sound daunting or off-putting if you’re not academically inclined, but if you’re passionate and dedicated when it comes to caring for others, you could become a great Social Worker.

A perfect example of this is Amy from Caerphilly County Borough Council. She left school with no qualifications, but at the age of 33, having been a foster carer and call centre worker, qualified as a Social Worker. She now works in a job where no two days are the same, and she gets to feel job satisfaction from building relationships and empowering families.

Amy Davies, Social Worker

Amy left school with no qualifications and decided she wanted to make a difference to families’ relationships. As a qualified social worker, she now works to find forever homes for children and supports vulnerable families to cope with various issues.

Helen previously worked in education, but after realising how much she enjoyed supporting the wellbeing of children, she decided to retrain as a Social Worker. She started her journey to become a Social Worker when she was 48, and since then, she’s never looked back.

Helen Dobson, Social Worker

Helen was a supply teacher in primary schools for thirty years, but one day she decided that she wanted to do more to make a difference, so she did her MSc in Social Care and became a Social Worker.

Social work qualifications

Social Workers need:

excellent communication skills
resilience
knowledge of law and policy
knowledge of Social Work theory.

To qualify as a Social Worker in Wales you must complete a course approved by Social Care Wales. For information on Welsh universities offering the undergraduate degree or the Masters degree visit Social Care Wales:

Social work qualifying education