Getting Started Tell me more about the qualification

Tell me more about the qualification

Degree in Social Work:

Social Work requires a professional qualification; currently a three year undergraduate honours degree or a two year Masters degree in social work that has been approved by the General Social Care Council (GSCC)). The course involves a combination of course work and a minimum of 200 days spent in practice settings providing the opportunity for lots of practical experience before you actually qualify. The social work qualification is suitable for social workers in all settings (residential, field, day, domiciliary, healthcare and education) and sectors (statutory, voluntary and private).

The Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) benchmark statement for social work sets out the requirements for the achievement of an academic award at degree level.  These Core Statements for social work are:

• Social work services and service users;
• The service delivery context;
• Values and ethics;
• Social work theory;
• The nature of social work practice.

The core skills required by qualified social workers are defined as:

• ICT and Numerical skills
• Problem solving skills
• Communication skills
• Skills in working with others
• Skills in Personal and Professional Development

All Social Workers will learn and be assessed on:

• Law
• Partnership Working
• Communication Skills
• Assessment, Planning, Intervention and Review
• Human Growth and Development
• Mental Health and Disability

As a student and once qualified you will need to register with the General Social Care Council (GSCC) which is responsible for regulating the workforce.

Previous qualifications in social work including the diploma will continue to be recognised as valid social work qualifications.

There are a variety of ways to enter the social work profession, according to age and previous experience.

Next steps

• Consult the Course Finder for a full list of universities and colleges that offer social work programmes.
• Do you have any questions? Try our Q&A section.
• See our feature for information on how to apply, writing your personal statement, interview preparation and bursary rates. 
• Use our Links section to access social work and social care organisations.
• And don't forget to check out the Volunteering section.
  

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