Social Worker
Also advertised as: Adult Social Worker, Children's Social Worker, Family Support Social Worker, hospital discharge social worker, medical social worker, Mental Health Social Worker
Assesses and protects children or adults at risk and coordinates the support around them.
What the job involves
Social workers carry statutory responsibility for safeguarding. You assess risk and need, write court and case reports, coordinate services and make difficult decisions with families. Entry requires a Social Work England approved degree, available as an apprenticeship.
Typical responsibilities
- Assess risk, need and family circumstances
- Write assessments, plans and court reports
- Coordinate multi-agency support
- Undertake statutory visits and reviews
- Make and defend safeguarding decisions
Common employers
- Local authorities
- NHS mental health trusts
- Children's charities
- Fostering agencies
Pay, hours and working environment
Typical pay
£31,000 – £35,000 a year
With experience
£40,000 – £50,000 a year
Typical hours
37 hours plus emergency duty rota
Working environment
Office, homes and community visits
Remote working
hybrid
Demand for this work
high
Pay ranges are indicative guidance drawn from advertised UK vacancies and published careers information. They are not an offer, and actual pay varies by employer, location and experience.
Skills and qualifications
Core skills
- Risk assessment
- Report writing
- Relationship building
- Legal knowledge
- Emotional resilience
Transferable skills you may already have
- Support work experience
- Detailed record keeping
- Working with vulnerable people
Requirements employers ask for
- Risk assessment
- Report writing
- Relationship building
- Legal knowledge
- Emotional resilience
- Approved Social Work degree or Level 6 apprenticeship
- Social Work England registration
- Social Work England registration
- Enhanced DBS
- reflect on practice
- communicate with social service users
- apply person-centred care
- relate empathetically
- negotiate with social service users
- prevent social problems
- social work theory
- listen actively
- conduct interview in social service
- review social service plan
- demonstrate leadership in social service cases
- empower social service users
Useful but not essential
- Support work experience
- Detailed record keeping
- Working with vulnerable people
- Approved Mental Health Professional training
- Practice educator award
- prepare youths for adulthood
- assess the development of youth
- support children's wellbeing
- support social service users at the end of life
- promote the safeguarding of young people
- older adults' needs
- support the positiveness of youths
- evaluate older adults' ability to take care of themselves
Helpful qualifications
- Approved Mental Health Professional training
- Practice educator award
Licences and checks
- Social Work England registration
- Enhanced DBS
Ways into this career
A degree is only one route. Where an apprenticeship, work-experience or qualification route exists, it is listed here alongside the academic option.
Apprenticeships and work-based routes
- Social Worker (Level 6)
Degree and college routes
- Related subject: Social work
- Related subject: Sociology
- Related subject: Psychology
- Related subject: Criminology
Where this career can lead
next
Senior Practitioner
next
Team Manager
next
Service Manager
The good parts and the hard parts
What people enjoy
- Apprenticeship route from support work
- Secure statutory employment
- Significant responsibility and impact
What people find hard
- High caseloads
- Emotionally heavy decisions
Common questions
- Do you need a degree to become a social worker?
- No. As well as degree routes, this career can be entered through an apprenticeship or by building experience and qualifications on the job. required
- How much does a social worker earn in the UK?
- Typical advertised pay runs from £31,000 to £35,000 a year, rising towards £50,000 with experience. Figures are indicative guidance rather than an offer.
- What skills transfer into this career?
- Skills that transfer well include Support work experience, Detailed record keeping, Working with vulnerable people.
Related careers
Residential Childcare Worker
Provides day-to-day care and support to children living in residential children's homes.
Domiciliary Care Assistant
Supports people to live independently at home with daily tasks and personal care.
Family Support Worker
Works with families to build parenting skills and reduce the risk of children going into care.
Adult Social Care Team Leader
Manages a team of care workers delivering support to adults in the community or a care setting.
Substance Misuse Practitioner
Supports people struggling with drug and alcohol dependency towards recovery.
Safeguarding Officer
Investigates and coordinates responses to concerns about children or vulnerable adults.
Where this information comes from
- National Careers Service
- Institute for Apprenticeships
Last reviewed 14 September 2026.
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