All about Social Service Jobs

Working in social service can be a highly rewarding career for anyone who enjoys helping people. Social workers and carers are employed both local authorities, voluntary organisations and by private agencies, which generally deal with a specific area of work.

Social work is a graduate profession, with new entrants needing either a bachelor’s or master’s degree in social work. They work directly with vulnerable people (such as children, learning disabled adults, and substance abusers), splitting their time between home and community visits, and office-based work liaising with other agencies, carrying out case meetings to ensure the people they work with get proper care, and making needs assessments. Opportunities for progression include working as a senior manager in a local authority or voluntary organisation, as well as consultancy and freelance work.

Non-graduates can enter the social services as a social work assistant, supporting social workers, or via a specialist role such as youth worker or care worker. They may carry out a wide range of roles, including administration, physical care, mentoring and running community based projects. They will often liaise with social workers to help them make decisions on individual cases.