According to Skills for Care, about 1.5 million people are in the adult social care sector, with the number deemed to rise. With England’s growing demand for adult social care, an additional 500,000 caregivers would be needed by 2030. This makes the sector a ‘go-to’ option for anyone willing to make a career in social care. If looking to venture in this field, here are five tips to help get you started.
1. Find A Role Fitting Your Skills and Personality
There are dozens of exciting open roles that one can choose to play in the social care sector. These range from managerial, graduate, to entry level roles. You could also choose to play a role in creating/proving interesting activities for seniors, assessing their personalized needs, as well as manufacturing custom equipment for those with special needs. It would, however, be advisable to research and find out roles that you would be interested in playing. Be sure to choose roles that fit your personality and skill set. Think Care Careers could come in handy in helping you make the right decision.
2. Get Yourself Some Experience
While this may not be mandatory, having some experience in adult social care can help you find a footing in the same. With plenty of volunteering opportunities in this sector, it shouldn’t take you long to find a position in one of the many facilities offering the service. Ben Rosamond, a person-centered planning facilitator with the Sunderland City Council first started as a coach at a school for young people with physical and learning disabilities- this was before he decided to take up a career in social care.
Day centers, local community centers, care providers, and charities are among the best places to look for a volunteer position. These facilities often have their doors open for people with real interest as care providers and are known to invest in these individuals as well. You can take up any responsibility from organizing events to fundraisings.
3. Use the Experience Earned, As Well As Skill and Personal Values to Identify What Your Role Can be in Social Care
It is after gaining some experience that you can start researching for ways your skill/experience can be utilized in adult social care. You could also use the knowledge gained through personal life and existing career to identify what can be transferred into social care. If you still cannot identify a role, you can then make use of the Think Care Careers tool to match positions you qualify for. These can be from social interests, professional qualifications, and skills.
4. Share Your Passion and Enthusiasm for Working with People in Social Care
It’s advisable to show your passion and genuine desire to help people when looking to make a career in this sector. Be sure to highlight this in interviews, relevant conversations, application forms, and your CV as well. Although you may have formal training on the same, most employers will look for genuineness and the right values in potential candidates. Showing genuine love and passion for this role can work in your favor. You’ll also be required to showcase the same with people around you by showing respect and demonstrating care whenever/wherever applicable. There has been a lot of money put into social care according to Service Care Solutions and these are opening up a lot of opportunities in the area.
5. Familiarize Yourself with Current Issues in The Sector
Familiarizing yourself with most of the issues surrounding the social sector should help you understand it even more. Showing particular interest in current events and news about the sector, and even having an idea of how to solve some of these issues should also help you stand out from all the other candidates.
You’ll also need to familiarize yourself with the current policies and legislation (Mental Capacity Act), confidentiality of personal records, and safeguarding procedures to earn more points during interviews. Try to incorporate these wherever applicable when responding to questions.