Cyngor Gofal Cymru / Care Council for Wales

What Type of Person is Needed?

You will need to be honest, reliable and flexible with a mature attitude and good communication skills. Essential to this role are sound values, which promote dignity, choice and confidentiality; you will happily work as part of a team, showing effective interpersonal skills. You will also need to act as a positive role model.

It will be important to have good time management skills and be an effective planner and have the ability to manage and present information effectively and clearly.

What are the Career Prospects?

For those who gain the social work qualification there are excellent job prospects. There is currently a shortage of qualified social workers in Wales and newly qualified individuals will usually gain suitable employment after completing their course.

Around 70 to 75 per cent of newly qualified social workers get their first jobs with Local Authority Social Services Departments, while others gain work in voluntary organisations, private agencies and the health services. The average starting salary for newly qualified social workers is in the range of £26,000 to £30,000. There are opportunities to continue professional development through the post qualifying routes. After gaining suitable experience there are likely to be opportunities for promotion to, for example, senior practitioner earning, on average, between £28,000 and £30,000 or team manager posts earning between £30,000 and £35,000.

How to Qualify

A degree in Social Work was introduced in Wales from September 2004. The degree is replacing the Diploma in Social Work, and this development is a major step to making sure social workers are properly trained and appropriately qualified.

The degree is part of an ongoing process of raising standards in the social care sector. Along with the Codes of Practice for social care workers and their employers, the social care register, and progressing workforce development plans, the degree continues to help raise the profile of social work, and improve standards within the social care sector.

Partnerships have been set up between major social work employers and higher education institutions in all parts of Wales. All 22 local authorities and several voluntary agencies are now involved with eight universities and colleges in Wales. This together with the involvement of service users and carers begins to meet the principle of partnership which is at the heart of the degree.

Improving Professional Status of Social Work