Social Workers
The job of a social work professional is varied but always aims to improve people’s lives promoting human rights and wellbeing. Social workers protect adults with support needs from harm.
Social workers work with a number of people at any one time. This is often referred to as a caseload. Day-to-day work involves assessing people’s needs, strengths and wishes, working with individuals and families directly to help them make changes and solve problems, organising support, making recommendations or referrals to other services and agencies, and keeping detailed records.
The problems social workers deal with are often rooted in social or emotional disadvantage, discrimination, poverty or trauma. Social workers recognise the bigger picture affecting people’s lives and work for a more equal and just society where human rights are respected and protected.
In all roles, you will be trained and skilled to bring about change. You will also be skilled in using relevant legal powers to protect people’s rights and sometimes balance the rights of everyone involved. This combination of skills is unique to the social work profession.
Hear from Bongi Makone, a social worker with Adult Social Care as she explains why she wanted to work in the profession.