If you are looking to train in a career that makes a positive difference, Health and Social Care, Nursing, or Social Work may be the right choice for you. Developing valuable relationships, Supporting people to live the life they choose means that you build a strong bond. Working in any of these disciplines will ensure you meet fascinating people that open up their lives to you, meaning you can develop relationships that improve both your life and theirs.
Career Paths
Social Work
If you want to become a social worker there are many different routes to achieve this pathway.
Social Services | Careers in care | SSSC
Social work courses are full time, delivered over four years (undergraduate degree) or two years (postgraduate). There is also a work-based route provided by the Open University.
All courses include practice learning where you are assessed in work placements.
There is a Memorandum of Understanding between the four countries of the UK which allows you to register with SSSC if you studied in England, Wales or Northern Ireland.
If you are a qualified social worker you can check out our vacancies where you might find the right job for you.
For more information please visit: https://www.sssc.uk.com/knowledgebase/article/KA-02466/en-us
What will social workers who have been off the Register for more than two years need to do to return to practice?
The SSSC is introducing return to practice requirements for social workers who have been out of practice and off the SSSC Register for more than two years. The requirements are a mix of supervised practice, informal and formal learning with a tiered approach depending on how long social workers have been out of practice. Returning social workers will have six months from registration to meet the return to practice requirements.
Read full details in the return to practice for social workers article.
Social Care - Support Worker Level
If you are looking for a career which makes a positive difference, then a job in social services could be for you.
A support worker’s role is to provide person-centred care and support to people living in their own home or community. They use their values, knowledge, and skills to develop relationships and work with people to support them.
Job titles may include Care Assistant and Home Carer.
They register with the SSSC as a Support Worker on the Social Care Workforce register.
Support workers follow agreed care plans. They share their knowledge about the person to help their senior colleagues keep everyone’s care plan up to date. Support workers demonstrate respect for individual rights, such as the right everyone has to be in control of their own life.
The minimum qualification requirement is SVQ or an apprenticeship at SCQF level 6 which is gained while working.
You can apply for this SVQ when you’re in work. You don’t need previous qualifications to complete this SVQ. We will support you to access this qualification.
If you have an SVQ Healthcare Support (Clinical or Non-clinical) at SCQF level 6 you may already have some units in this SVQ.
You can find out more about qualifications and get information for providers here: Social services and healthcare | Careers in care | SSSC
To see current vacancies click here
Social Care - Practitioner Level
If you are looking for a career which makes a positive difference, then a job in social services could be for you.
The Practitioner role carries out similar tasks to support workers but have extra responsibilities too. They use their values, knowledge, and skills to:
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help assess what kind of care people will need
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share information appropriately with other health and care professionals
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monitor health, safety, and security in the home.
Practitioners need to create and maintain care plans in partnership with the people living in the care home and their families. They may take part in training to learn some healthcare tasks, like administering medication.
Job titles may include Social Care Worker and Community Support Worker.
They register with the SSSC as a practitioner on the Social Care Workforce register.
The minimum qualification requirement is SVQ or an apprenticeship at SCQF level 7, which is gained while working.
You can apply for this SVQ when you’re in work. You don’t need previous qualifications to complete this SVQ. We will support you to access this qualification.
You can find out more about qualifications and get information for providers here: Social services and healthcare | Careers in care | SSSC
To see current vacancies click here
Social Care - Supervisor Level
If you are looking for a career which makes a positive difference, then a job in social services could be for you.
Supervisors are leaders and they guide and support other staff to provide the best care possible by:
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making sure all care plans are created in a person-centred way and reviewed regularly
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promoting quality of care and identify improvements
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helping staff stay up to date with policies, training courses and other learning opportunities.
Supervisors may also provide direct care and support. They usually have previous experience as a support worker or practitioner.
Job titles may include Senior Social Care Worker and Homecare coordinator.
They register with the SSSC as a supervisor on the Social Care Workforce register. Some supervisors, like those qualified as nurses, may be registered with a different regulatory body.
The minimum SSSC qualification requirement is the same as a practitioner plus a supervisory award, like a PDA Health and Social Care Supervision at SCQF level 7. Some supervisors complete the SVQ Social Services and Healthcare at SCQF level 9 which meets full requirements and can support progression to a management role.
You can find out more about qualifications and get information for providers here: Social services and healthcare | Careers in care | SSSC
To see current vacancies click here
Social Care - Manager Level
Managers have overall responsibility for how care and support is delivered. They also take the lead supporting all staff and making sure they get the right training to do their roles well.
They use their knowledge and skills to meet specific managerial responsibilities like:
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managing budgets
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contributing to the development of policies and procedures
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preparing for inspections.
Managers are often the first point of contact for families, new employees and agencies like the NHS and social work services. They need to be friendly, approachable, and professional.
They register with the SSSC as a manager on the Social Care Workforce register.
The minimum SSSC qualification requirement is an SVQ at SCQF level 9 or a social work, nursing, or other suitable university degree plus a qualification for leading and managing care (which can be gained while working).
You can apply for this SVQ when you’re in work. You need to hold the SVQ at SCQF 9 to be eligible for this role. We will support you to access the management component at SCQF 9 or above.
Some managers, like those qualified as nurses, will be registered with other regulatory bodies.
Some managers are known as the Registered Manager, this what is required to be the registered manager of a care service?
Before being appointed, registered managers (the named manager on the Care Inspectorate Certificate of Registration) are required by the Care Inspectorate to hold a relevant practitioner qualification as a minimum. In order to make decisions on the competency of staff and the quality of care being provided, managers of registered services must be qualified to at least the level of the practitioners working in the service.
You can find out more about qualifications and get information for providers here: Social services and healthcare | Careers in care | SSSC
To see current vacancies click here
Nursing and Health Care
It might surprise you that not everyone in the NHS workforce delivers patient care on the front line. But we all contribute to making a difference and helping others.
You could be designing and developing technology or analysing and interpreting data. You might like a job testing and repairing equipment in a workshop or maintaining boilers that provide heating and hot water to a hospital.
Whichever role you choose, you’ll be helping to deliver the best service to patients, their families, carers, and the public.
Let’s explore the careers you’ll find in the NHS.
For more information please visit: Explore careers | NHSScotland Careers
For current vacancies please click Here