What is it like to work in social care?
Working in social care is such an important career. It’s about supporting people to have independence, dignity and control over their lives. By giving personal and practical support, social care helps people to stay healthy, safe, and well.
Social care can take place in many different settings, including in a care home, in someone’s own home, or in a day centre.
Social care involves working with people from all backgrounds needing care for various reasons. You’ll be meeting and building relationships, learning what individuals need to live healthier, happier, and more independent lives, and giving people the opportunity to do what they want to do.
The care sector is growing fast, which means there will always be a job for you if it’s something you enjoy and get on with. In fact, more people currently work in social care than in the NHS!
Are you a good fit?
Working in care is all about the people. If you love helping people, seeing them excel, and putting a smile on someone’s face, then social care is for you. You need to love supporting people to thrive, having variety in your day, and be someone who prioritises job satisfaction.
Do I need qualifications?
You can come into a care job at all sorts of levels. Qualifications aren’t required as you’ll be learning on the job and gaining qualifications as you go. There are so many opportunities to develop your skills and progress with a career in care. For many employers, personal values, life experiences and a willingness to learn are more important than work experience. Any transferrable skills you’ve gained from working in a different sector will also be highly valued.
Find a job
It’s a very exciting time to be working in care. To make sure that social care is meeting people’s needs, new job roles are being developed all the time, so you’ll find lots of different job titles being advertised. Not all jobs may include the word “care”.
Finding a rewarding care job in Surrey is easy using our sister website: Proud to Care. Simply browse the list of job vacancies, then apply for a role directly. You can also find a job in social care on the Department for Health and Social Care’s jobs board.
As well as job vacancies, Proud to Care also publishes articles and tips about building a career in care.