Introduction

Social work is one of the fastest growing areas of local government provision, and one of the most difficult. It provides a range of services critical to the welfare of a large number of the most vulnerable members of our society: the young, disabled, elderly people, the unemployed, single mothers, children and families involved in adoption and fostering.
Residential social workers add an extra dimension to this responsibility – having to live with those at risk and with special needs on a full or part time basis. They are employed by all types of local authority except county councils and voluntary agencies like Barnardos, private organizations and specialist employment agencies.

Work Environment

Although there may be also be a desk to work from in the council offices, residential social workers are based in children’s homes, hostels, adult and youth centres. They also sometimes work with the elderly. However, the supervision and management of homes for older people is often the responsibility of trained nurses, particularly in privately run homes. There is, as always with social work, the potential for danger and distress in that the people being looked after may be depressed, disabled, unstable, drug dependent and sometimes violent: damaged in some way by setbacks in life.

Residential social workers work a 35-40 hour week. Unsocial hours – including shifts, weekend and evening work – are necessary. Most do not ‘live in’, but they do have ‘sleep in’ duties. Part time work and job sharing are common. Most of the work is indoors.

Daily Activities

At the core of the residential social worker’s responsibility is the duty to provide personal care and help create a happy, safe and stimulating environment. This involves either visiting, or living in, a range of homes or hostels where children, teenagers or adults with special needs live. These are people with learning difficulties, disabilities or mental health problems.

In children’s homes they assess the child’s particular needs and give them emotional, social and spiritual support: by providing sporting, creative and leisure activities, setting boundaries to behaviour, ensuring their safety and acting as a good role model They may also help to find families for children to live with and help them settle into family life. Also, they will help young people who are about to leave formal care to prepare for the world outside and the demands of independent living. They will contribute to recruitment training and support of foster carers, volunteers and independent visitors.

With adults, residential social workers provide support for residents by helping them to claim benefits, to budget, to participate in leisure activities and develop their social and personal skills.

In all cases the social worker will talk, cajole, encourage, sympathise and advise without losing sight of the need to be professionally objective. Residents are not forced to play table tennis or draughts, but they can be helped to find interests which stimulate them even though the social worker does not share their particular enthusiasms.

Each day, the residential social worker will work closely with doctors, psychologists, teachers, nurses, probation officers, colleagues and outside agencies like The Child Poverty Action Group, Age Concern and Barnardos. They also try to develop links with residents’ families and the local community so that residents can take part in local events.

Residential social workers have supervisory responsibilities to the Unit Manager, and for catering/domestic employees in the absence of the Unit or Assistant Managers and they contribute to the induction of new staff.

Skills & Interests

The social worker needs to have a genuine interest in people and so must have:

• a capacity to relate successfully to children and/ or adults from different backgrounds and cultures and win trust and respect
• sensitivity
• compassion
• patience
• tolerance
• good communication skills
• an understanding of equal opportunities and other appropriate legislation
• the ability to cope with demanding and stressful situations and the expression of challenging behaviour, including verbal and physical abuse
• the maturity to be able to help people face painful and distressing problems
• an insight into one’s own personal values
• as regards children: an understanding of the role and responsibilities of a statutory child care agency and of children’s residential.

It is also useful to be flexible, open-minded, able to cope with change and work as part of a team.

Entry Requirements

The professional qualifying training for social workers is a degree in social work approved by the General Social Care Council (GSCC).

The degree is a three year programme and entrance is via approved universities, who determine their own conditions for entry.

The previous professional qualification, the Diploma in Social Work (DipSW), is still recognised as a valid social work qualification.

Those wishing to pursue a degree in social work will need GCSEs (or equivalent) in English and Mathematics at grade C or above. Although universities will set their own conditions of entrance, possible useful A-level (or equivalent) subjects would be law, sociology or psychology. Vocational GCSEs and A-level subjects may also be useful.

More information about the new qualification is available on General Social Care Council website and the Department of Health website.

More information about professional training in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland can be found at the following websites:
Care Council for Wales
Scottish Social Services Council
Northern Ireland Social Care Council

It is possible to enter residential social work with relevant experience in, for example, voluntary work, or paid work with children.

Estimated salary range

Variable: from £19,800 to £27,300 possibly rising to £28,000+ in some areas and due to possible differences in job description as given above.

Please note that salary information is a guide only and there may be local agreements in place. For further information about salaries for particular positions, please contact your local council directly.

Future prospects & opportunities

Rapid career progress is possible and qualified social workers can move into the management of residential homes or into other areas of social work. This is a growth area of social service and residential social workers will be expected to continue learning and extending their skills after gaining the DipSW. NVQs/SVQs (levels 2-4), caring for children and young people (level 3) and promoting independence (level 3) are also relevant in some residential jobs.

Related Occupations

Follow this link to view a list of all related occuptions in Caring For Your Community.
Alternatively, follow this link to view all career profiles placed in the same job area.

Further Information & Services

Social Care Association www.socialcareassociation.co.uk

British Association of Social Workers www.basw.co.uk

The National Training Organisation for Social Work/Social Care
www.topssengland.net

General Social Care Council www.gscc.org.uk

Care Council for Wales www.ccwales.org.uk

Northern Ireland Social Care Council www.niscc.info

Scottish Social Services Council www.sssc.uk.com

Social Work careers information www.socialworkcareers.co.uk

Community Service Volunteers www.csv.org.uk/socialhealthcare

Follow this link for social services recruitment contacts within local councils in your area.

You may find further information about this area of work in your local Connexions service/careers office/school careers library – under V.

What should I do next?

Look for current local government Residential Social Worker vacancies in the following places:

• LGjobs.com - the official recruitment website for local government.
• Weekly, bi-weekly or monthly jobs bulletins produced by local councils themselves, available from libraries, community centres, town halls/main civic buildings and central council personnel departments.
• Local council websites.
• Local newspapers
• National newspapers – The Guardian is particularly well known for its public sector job advertisements on a Wednesday.

Find out about the council and get some work experience if possible by:

• Making the most of work experience placements arranged through your school, college or university.
• Contacting councils close to your home to find out about the work experience opportunities they offer.
• Talking to someone who does the job you are interested in – ring your local council to see if someone can spare some time.
• Making an appointment to see a careers adviser for more specific information about jobs and training.