Do you have to be able to drive to be a social worker?

[AlexanderSkarsgardIWould]

Just wondering if it is essential to be able to drive to be a social worker (so you can make house calls etc.)?

Not always. There are sometimes jobs that are based in particular places, such as residential homes, hospitals etc.

I think as dorothy says, it depends on the type of job placement. My cousin is a SW in the Adult Special Needs team, and she travels all over the country to visit people in residential/fostering type situations. She has to visit these twice a year and I know she did hundreds of miles by car the last time. She also does lots of home visits around the borough. So, for this type of job, a car is essential I'd say. I suppose if she was working in a hospice or somewhere like that, then less so.

Not to be professionally qualified as a Social Worker but it may be in the essential criteria for jobs. Less so in inner city areas where public transport is sometimes quicker than driving.

I am an OT and it's the same for us. I have worked with colleagues who don't drive but it can be very limiting depending on the area where you live or work.

No but you will find your placements extremely limited and jobs much harder to find especially when not in inner cities.

It may be something you wish to attain during your degree.

Officially our county you don't (due to a SW that got banned and kept his job) but depending on your location it could be pretty impossible to do your job.

One of the sw students can drive due to medical condition so a blanket ban would be discrimantory.

Quite a few sw I work with can't drive and use public transport. But to be honest it can cause resentment within teams as it can put extra pressure on other workers. I am a sw with an inner city Child Protection Team and if we need to place a child out of the area the person who cannot drive would not be asked to do that.

I know it seems a bit mean but being under pressure does not bring out the best in people!

It would limit you choice of area of practice eg there is loads of driving in looked after children, adoption and fostering teams.

However, if you were based in one location then it wouldn't matter at all.

Does public transport affect the number of cases too slipperandpj?
I'm thinking in lots of places it would take longer than driving.

My last manager tried to give those who didn't drive cases closer but it was hard to make that work. It really does depend on which team. I would be concerned from a saftey point of view also two sw off my team decided to walk to visit a family and ended up having to call the police when they were seen out walking and threatened. Some of the situations you face can be very dangerous and to have to walk back to the office afterwards could place you at significant risk.

Which area of sw are you interested in?