Calling all Social Workers

Yes, but the problem lies in getting such a position and also SSSC never quite said which positions do and do not count. I spent many hours of my life in communication trying to get it sorted and all I got is a migraine.

Maybe it might be cheaper to try that for a year and see if it works, If not apply to Dundee. Just a thought.

Good luck whatever you decide. 

Why is it when you work through an agency and you don't  accept the first job offer , the agency no longer wants to work with you? I feel like that is very unfair, the first job offer that I received the pay rate was not what they originally told and I could not accept that offer from that Council. Now that agency is ignoring my emails and when I call, they rush me off the phone, not too mention they lie and say that they read my paper work when they really didn't. I rather an agency be up front with me and just say I cannot work with you, point blank.

Why is it when you work through an agency and you don't  accept the first job offer , the agency no longer wants to work with you? I feel like that is very unfair, the first job offer that I received the pay rate was not what they originally told and I could not accept that offer from that Council. Now that agency is ignoring my emails and when I call, they rush me off the phone, not too mention they lie and say that they read my paper work when they really didn't. I rather an agency be up front with me and just say I cannot work with you, point blank.

That totally sucks. Maybe it's indicative that working through an agency isn't necessarily for you? Maybe try direct to councils if possible? http://www.socialworkcareers.co.uk/

I'm really sorry you're experiencing this.

IME, with agencies, though, accepting a job put you higher in their minds as you are willing to prove yourself and get off your a*se, so to speak. My first job here was as a live in support worker in London for little more than minimum wage.
 
I also think sometimes the experience of immigrants by and large is that you have to start lower on pay scales and for some, not necessarily in your field.

Thanks, I am trying different ways of getting a job in the UK and a sponsorship. I am trying by applying directly with the council and I am trying with another agency. I hope to be in England by next year. I really want  the experience of working in another country. I feel like sometimes these agencies try to take advantage of American Social Workers. This is mainly because we all trying to go over their and we are not demanding the right pay. I wish their was a way to ban d together or somehow their was an organization that monitors the contracts that are made between American Social Workers and British organizations. Its simply not fair.

Unfortunately, agencies are there to make money off the work that you do. Often they charge a set rate to councils, so the lower the agency worker's wage is kept, the more the agency can keep for themselves. Also, agency workers from outside the Southeast tend not to make as much.

If you can secure a work permit, or whatever is in existence by the time you come (the visa system is in a constant state of change), directly from a council, you may be in a stronger position. Don't know if whatever work permit scheme will allow permanent residence at any stage or not. Those changes and any questions can be asked in the visa board.

Also ask us here what is reasonable for whatever area you are applying to. Likely those that are here can tell you what is considered a reasonable social work wage for a given area.

Also, what is your background, Sony? Any chance you may be eligible for citizenship of any EU country to circumvent work permits? 

Good luck with it all! 
 

Email received today from the General Social Care Council:

'Dear Registrant,

I am writing to you to tell you about the recent Department of Health review of its arm’s-length bodies (ALBs), of which General Social Care Council (GSCC) is one.

The review, which was published this week, sets out the Government’s intention for the GSCC’s functions to be transferred to the Health Professions Council (whose name will be changed to reflect their new remit).

In the short to medium term this will have no impact on your dealings with us as we have been told that the new arrangements will not come into effect before 2012 at the earliest. Social work is, and will remain, a regulated profession. You are still required to register, pay your annual fee, renew registration and complete post-registration training and learning.

Regardless of where responsibility for the regulation of social workers sits in the future, regulation will continue to be the hallmark of a valued profession; it is what puts social workers on par with the other professionals they work beside. Regulation is also a crucial public safeguard that helps to give the public trust and confidence in the work of social work professionals.

Our focus over the next couple of years will remain on delivering the challenging reform agenda set out by the Social Work Task Force to strengthen the social work profession. We are as clear as ever of the need to sustain our public protection work, to build public confidence in regulation and social workers, and advance the professionalisation of social work. We will continue to work in partnership with social workers, employers, service users, the public and other stakeholders in achieving this.

Although these changes will not impact on your registration with us for the foreseeable future, I understand that you may have more questions. We have sought to answer these in a set of frequently asked questions (FAQs) on our website.

Social Work Connections, our quarterly e-newsletter for registrants, will contain further news about these developments as they progress. We email this to all registrants but if you do not receive it for any reason, you can subscribe to the newsletter.

Yours

Penny Thompson
Chief Executive
General Social Care Council'

Good riddance, the GSCC was an organisation that was very unfriendly and overly critical to the very people forced to pay for their existence, Social Workers.  I hope the replacement is more supportive of Social Workers.

Well, now social workers will have to pay at least twice as much in annual fees to register because the government was subsidizing the dues and there is still no guarantee that we are going to get much out of the organization anyway.

HPC fees are around £75 per year and it was suggested that social workers would have to pay £60.

Well, now social workers will have to pay at least twice as much in annual fees to register because the government was subsidizing the dues and there is still no guarantee that we are going to get much out of the organization anyway.

HPC fees are around £75 per year and it was suggested that social workers would have to pay £60.

 

Do you know the HPC fees from HPC registered colleagues?

This has been news all week in Community Care online and CYP Now.

It is likely that they will change the name HPC to reflect the addition of SW.

This was all part of the government's efforts to save money by reducing quangos.

This has been news all week in Community Care online and CYP Now.

It is likely that they will change the name HPC to reflect the addition of SW.

This was all part of the government's efforts to save money by reducing quangos.

Oh, I figured it was a money saving exercise. I just haven't been on Community Care online  in ages.

I receive the email updates at work... usually just peruse the headlines and read what looks interesting.

I receive the email updates at work... usually just peruse the headlines and read what looks interesting.

Thanks! I might do that! 

Has anyone heard what will happen to the counterparts from Wales, Scotland, etc?  They've had separate bodies since the laws here are different.  I'm curious what this will all mean to us.

Has anyone heard what will happen to the counterparts from Wales, Scotland, etc?  They've had separate bodies since the laws here are different.  I'm curious what this will all mean to us.

I haven't seen anything specifically, but Community Care used to have Scotland, Wales and a Northern Ireland section. Maybe some digging on line is in order? Or is there a Wales specific social work magazine to which you can refere?

This seems to indicate a review of social work structures in Wales is coming:
http://www.ccwales.org.uk/news-and-events/13585

Looks like you can sign up for a newletter if you haven't already:
http://www.ccwales.org.uk/news-and-events/13687

HTH.