Calling all Social Workers

I hope things go well for you.  I think it depends on the area you are in.  I had a hard time finding clinical positions.  I was so happy when I was offered the post I'm starting soon that combined counselling and casework.  I wanted to use both skills.  I hope you will find good openings in your area.

Cadenza,

I would like to find a post similar to what you will be doing.  I have done nothing but clinicial and case management for years now.  It feels familiar to me.  If you wouldn't mind sharing any websites or info to me, I would be quite grateful.  I downloaded the application from the BACP website today.  I plan to apply, as they have a relationship with the NBCC here in the US.  With that in mind, I am hoping they share similar requirements.  Thanks for your advice.  I am very happy for you and wish you great things.  Take care!

Good luck, cmorris! There are some useful sites here:

http://www.prospects.ac.uk/cms/ShowPage/Home_page/Explore_types_of_jobs/Types_of_Job/p!eipaL?state=showocc&idno=77&pageno=9

that link doesn't work Mapleleafgirl.  I'm curious what is in there.

I posted the links for my position on an earlier page, but I'll tell you the truth, I've had a much more difficult time finding those kinds of positions here.  It's why I jumped at this one.  A friend of mine who is a nurse recommended trying with the children's hospice as they did interesting work.  Something like that may be an option, but I think you'll find that it takes a lot more legwork and putting yourself out there.  It may be different in other areas, but I just haven't found a lot of advertised jobs that had that balance.

Sorry!  You have to copy & paste the whole thing in a new toolbar:


http://www.prospects.ac.uk/cms/ShowPage/Home_page/Explore_types_of_jobs/Types_of_Job/p!eipaL?state=showocc&idno=77&pageno=9


For some reason it hasn't all made the link thing. Argh!

A friend of mine who is a nurse recommended trying with the children's hospice as they did interesting work. 

I've consider this as a social worker too!

I found out today that my application has gone through; I now show up on the registry search on the GSCC website as a registered social worker--registry number and all!

Isn't that the nicest feeling?  Mine went through this month too with the Care Council of Wales, and I was so nervous b/c my job hinged on me getting it.  They've been waiting for it to come through.  I was going to have to hurt someone if it didn't, after everything they made me do to get it.  Do you have to write all the essays showing your core competences in England too?  Those cracked me up--they tell you to be concise and then give you a 30 page manual of instructions just on the essays alone.  They freaked me out.  Not to mention trying to remember every job, address, and employer since high school!  I guess that's easy enough when you are straight out of Uni, but it gets a bit harder if you've lived your life a bit.

Ah, but it's done!!  Halleluia for both of us and congrats!  I mean, I knew there weren't any reasons they shouldn't give it to me, but it doesn't stop you from worrying does it?  And now we can work!!

Do you have to write all the essays showing your core competences in England too? 

yes!!!

congrats!!

I've never looked myself up! They do like to ask for my money every year so I don't doubt I am on there. 

oh yes and don't forget to give them your new address when you move over. oops, I didn't and I didn't remember the renewal!! I was 5 months late!

I'm working in my new job and loving it so far!!  I was wondering if I could get some help on terminology from those of you that are in the field here.  While my job isn't strictly social work (as defined in the UK) I'm working with a lot of social workers and there's some child protection basics that I'm feeling a bit silly asking about since everybody knows exactly what they mean.  I've been asking questions, but I'm getting a bit tired of having to ask what everything means when I want to look professional.  I have general ideas of what things are, but so much is different here that I'm not sure I really know things mean what I've been assuming them to mean.

What exactly does it mean for a child to be on the child protection registry?  What is a care order?  I've gathered that a child can be in the system but not have these.  The children I work with are usually either on the child protection registry or in immediate risk of being removed.

There were other things too, but these are the only ones I can remember off the top of my head.  Feel free to post any other terminology that gets used a lot.

Thanks!

hi cadenza...good to hear you've started your new post. what i've found most helpful is to search on line for the latest government publications and as well as the local policy. they also may be able to provide a basic training in child protection. here's a website that gives as brief overview of child protection, but i'm sure those that are in posts currently can give better recommendations.

http://www.nspcc.org.uk/Inform/resourcesforprofessionals/InformationBriefings/childprotectionsystem_wda48949.html

good luck....keep us updated!

Kerry, that post was exactly what I was looking for!  Thank you so much.  I have been reading things like the Children's Acts and Every Child Matters, but they are often so macro in scope and don't really make it clear how things work on a child to child basis.  I was looking for just that kind of information--when is a case conference held, what's the difference between "looked after" and having a care order, what significance does the child protection registry have, etc.  That helps me better understand what people are referring to when I have to go to team meetings with the child protection social workers and such.  Thanks again.

http://www.dh.gov.uk/prod_consum_dh/groups/dh_digitalassets/@dh/@en/documents/digitalasset/dh_4061303.pdf

I find this document very helpful. ECM and the CA are good resources too but very macro like you say. It is best to learn the local ways too.

I know it is tough asking so many questions but it is way better to ask now while you are still new and try to get it right in the beginning. I STILL ask about things I have never experienced before.

Thanks so much.  That is very helpful!  I may even request a printed copy.

I do ask questions--lots of them, but I was looking at it and realizing that many of those basic social work questions could probably be lumped into a category of things that other US social workers had to learn about as well and might have good resources for--which turned out to be true.  Now that I can understand the basic child protection process thanks to these documents, I can use my peppering of questions for job-specific things and not feel so backwards.

This really has been a help, and I'm sure it will be a resource to others as well, so I'm glad I asked the question here.

Cadenza, I also recommend the book Social Work in the British Isles to explain the various systems in the UK and Ireland, as well as Guernsey etc.

See http://www.jkp.com/catalogue/book.php/isbn/9781853028335

I also suggest looking at the social care section on the Department of Health website to look at policy / guidance information:

http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Policyandguidance/Healthandsocialcaretopics/Socialcare/index.htm

and Department for Children, Schools and Families:

http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/

and http://www.everychildmatters.gov.uk/socialcare/

Hope those help as well!