Working
in social care
A career in social care is hugely rewarding as you get to improve people’s lives while protecting them from harm.
From helping keep a family together when they are under pressure, to maintaining the independence of someone with mental health problems, social work is a career that has a direct and lasting impact on people, many of whom are the most in need.
While it’s true that social work can be demanding and often emotional, you will be given the tools and skills to overcome this, while also receiving dedicated and comprehensive support to maintain your own health and wellbeing throughout your career.
Starting or developing your career
There are many ways to begin or grow your career in social care, with entry opportunities for those wishing to take on an apprenticeship, take on a developmental role as a newly qualified social worker, or to begin your next steps in a qualified role.
We have a wide variety of roles within our teams, where everyone works together to provide support while receiving formal and vocational personal and professional development.
We also grow our own, by training our leaders to Get it Right (our bespoke and award-winning leadership development programme).
Social work with children and families
You will work with children and families who are experiencing difficulties or intervene where there are child protection concerns, to provide guidance and support, or take action (with others) to resolve their issues in a way that gives them the best possible outcomes for them.
This may mean working with children in care (also known as ‘looked-after children’), young offenders, children who have experienced or are at risk of abuse, children with health and mental health needs, or disabilities. It can also involve working with those who wish to adopt or foster.
Social work with older people
When working with adults you will often work with older people or those with learning or physical disabilities. You will focus on promoting independence, wellbeing and having control over their lives, by assessing their needs and helping them to access their entitlements to welfare support or to gain or remain in employment.
In the same way, you may also support adults who have substance abuse problems, have offended, are living with HIV or Aids, or are involved with the criminal justice system.
For me, care’s all about ensuring every child can thrive and flourish.”
Jason Harvey, Registered Manger of one of our residential children’s homes, takes us through his personal and professional journey. Jason’s driven by the belief that every young person deserves a chance, and deserves to be listened to, rather than be labelled or judged.
For me, care is all about being cared for and giving care, too.”
Cathryn McArthur, Social Worker, Assessment Team, explains how she joined the council back in 2002 as a family centre worker. 17 years later, Cathryn was supported by the council to gain her BA (Hons) in Social Work, and then a Postgraduate Diploma in Systemic Family Practice.
For me, care is all about loving your job. And I really do!”
Donna Ward, Operational Manager, Early Help Family Hubs and EHAST, discusses her career journey, and how the council supported Donna to pursue a degree in Social Work at the Open University.
For me, care is all about what family means to different people.”
Rachel Ross, Senior Social Worker, Foster Carer Support Team, explains how she’s been supported personally and professionally throughout her career, and why you never stop learning in a constantly changing work environment.
Jason Harvey, Registered Manager,
Havenbrook Children’s Home
Can a child who has experienced abuse and trauma make a success of working in children’s social care?
For me, care is all about… ensuring every child can thrive and flourish and to be given opportunities that they all deserve to have. Not to be labelled, not to be judged not even to be listened to but just to be given a chance to succeed.
As a child, I was physically and emotionally abused by my parents and was known to both social services and the police. Despite that, I still loved and even respected my father, which may seem odd to you – but my life was all I knew and I wanted to be important to my parents, even though I felt that my brother was the favourite child. At school, many teachers felt sorry for me and took me under their wing and one positive outlet I had was sport. My parents didn’t support this or even show any interest, but luckily teachers were there for me and I was able to compete at quite a high level.
In my late teens, I had an operation to repair spinal and bone damage which may well have been linked to the abuse I experienced as a child, which made it impossible for me to continue competing. After leaving school, I worked in a sports centre – this gave me the opportunity to work with young people.
As a young adult, I didn’t really believe that I would be alive much beyond 21 as I had no future, no family and no real plans. Then I saw an advert for residential care staff in Birmingham – and I felt that this is what I wanted to do. At that point, I didn’t really understand why, but just knew that it felt right.
I’ve never looked back – I’ve worked in residential settings as a care worker, a team leader and a manager, I have spent several years working with very traumatised young people in a maximum secure unit and with exploited young people to try to rebuild their lives.
I came to work for Shropshire Council in 2010, 14 years ago and have worked in several of our residential settings. I feel that all young people deserve a chance, to have someone to listen to them and to give them a safe base from which they can explore their world.
More recently, I have realised that my own experiences as a child have given me some insight into the world of the young people who need to access the services we offer and that despite everything that’s happened to me, I would not have it any other way.
I would like to encourage young adults who have had challenges in their own childhood to consider a career in care – you have so much to offer, so why not contact us to find out more?
Cathryn McArthur, Social Worker,
Assessment Team
My employment journey started with Shropshire Council way back in 2002. I had read and heard lots about the Government’s Sure Start Programme, so when I had seen a job advertising for a family centre worker, there was no hesitation – I was applying! My love of working ‘with’ families, and career progression along the way meant it was not until 2019, a whole 17 years later, that I left the council and made the leap to study academically. Having worked with and alongside social workers, I decided that this was something which I had a passion for. University life for me was for the next three years. Gaining a BA Hons in Social Work was a fantastic feeling – being a mature student I wasn’t sure if it was possible!
Being cared for, within my work life must have been the pull factor I needed. I returned to Shropshire Council to complete the Assessed and supported year in employment (ASYE) for newly qualified social workers. There was and still is plenty of familiar faces.
In 2022 I left the local authority for a year’s training position within the NHS. University life was much shorter second time around and I graduated with a ‘Postgraduate Diploma in Systemic Family Practice’. In true style in 2024 I returned to Shropshire Council. I missed directly working with families and the wonderful world of ‘social work’, and yes, those familiar faces are still here.
There must be something which pulls me back to ‘Shropshire Council’ I think about this often whilst driving around the beautiful but vast area of Shropshire. For me it’s simple being ‘cared for’ in work, means ‘I can care for in my work’.
Donna Ward, Operational Manager,
Early Help Family Hubs and EHAST
For me, care is all about loving your job and I really do. Let me tell you all about my journey with Shropshire Council Children’s Services.
I started off working in Shropshire children’s home – this was amazing experience and was the cornerstone of my career.
I then move into a social work assistant role where I had the pleasure of working with some of the most highly skilled social workers who were extremely passionate about their role. I learnt so much about my own values and social work values and how these embedded my practice. During this period, I had three of my own children. On return from maternity leave following my third child, I was successful in getting a secondment for my social work degree via the open university.
Shropshire Council paid for this qualification specifically to recruit workers who were able to start practice immediately and needed minimal support. This offer clearly widens access to the social work profession and evidences Shropshire Council’s wider commitment to its non-qualified staff by providing a career pathway.
Following completion of this degree and becoming a fully-fledged social worker, I worked the Looked After Children’s Team, Case Management Team and Disabled Children’s Team. I moved into senior social work positions in the Disabled Children’s Team and then onto case management, finally as a senior social working COMPASS processing work at the front door, this was a highly skilled role making decisions around safeguarding.
I was then asked by the then Assistant Director to help with managing a case management team for a period of three months, which turned into six months. I interviewed for this position and remained in the team manager position for four years.
I then applied for a secondment for a team manager post setting up a new front door for early help, EHAST. I was grateful for this opportunity and the learning around developing services for Shropshire families. I was part of the restructure and development of early help and Shropshire vision of ‘how can we help?’
I have very recently been appointed to the Operations Manager post for early help front door EHAST and the hub teams.
As you can see progression is an opportunity within Shropshire council.
With all of the positions I have held, training and development has been key and always is high on Shropshire Children’s Services agenda.
I am proud to be a social worker, this is my profession; I am proud to work for Shropshire and I am proud to be part of an ever-evolving council which continues to develop its services for the families of Shropshire.
Rachel Ross, Senior Social Worker,
Foster Carer Support Team
For me, care is all about family and how that can mean different things to different people.
I began working for Shropshire Council as a Sure Start Family Support Worker in 2010. I had been made redundant from a job I loved while I was on maternity leave with my son. I was lacking in confidence and struggled with my self-esteem. However, soon, I found I loved support work and running groups, supporting new mothers at the hospital and even taking families on walks when my centre was closed for refurbishment.
The work started to gradually change and became more about work with individual families and less about group work such as baby massage and stay and play. This meant I spent a lot of time working with Social Workers. At first, I was in awe and vowed that I could never do this sort of statutory work. However, as time passed, I was able to understand more about the cross over between support work and social work.
Then, in 2017 I saw an advert on the Intranet for the Step Up to Social Work Programme. This was a free course with a substantial bursary. I had the required qualifications including a degree and I applied. There was a whole day selection at Birmingham University and I was really pleased to be offered a place as competition was stiff!
The course started in January 2018 and was for 14 months. This was an intensive course with very few holidays and a huge amount of research and assignments. My course finished in 2019 and I got my result of a Merit in May 2019 and was able to get my Social Work England number and start work as a registered Social Worker for Shropshire Council within a couple of weeks.
I started work in the Case Management Team where I had done my 100 day placement to complete my ASYE (Assessed and Supported Year in Employment). I completed this just as the COVID pandemic hit and had my celebration for this achievement as a Teams Meeting when these were new! I worked in case management for 4 years until January 2022. I developed my skills during my time in this team, working with families and professionals. It was a learning environment and I am really glad I had that opportunity.
In 2022 a job was advertised in the fostering team in Shropshire Council and I applied. I had no experience in fostering and did not expect to get the job but was delighted when I did! This started a whole new area of work. Fostering was not taught on the Step Up course and I don’t think it is taught on most Social Work courses. I had to learn everything again from a different perspective and all the specific fostering regulations as well. I loved this job as soon as I started it. Very quickly after I began a Senior Social Worker role was advertised and I applied. I did this purely for the experience as I wanted to be senior one day. I was delighted (again) when I was offered this post.
I have been in the Senior role since September 2022 having delayed my start until after the school holidays. I also completed my MA with Step Up in 2023 and managed to increase my pass to a distinction which I was really pleased about. I work with foster carers now, ensuring they are supported and challenged and they have everything they need to develop their practice. I also work with connected carers to keep children within families when this is safe. As a Senior, I work alongside managers and supervise staff as well as continuing to develop my own practice.
My work as a Social Worker has already been varied in the 5 years I have been qualified and the one constant in Social Work is change so I expect more change to come!