Social work/Nursing/Midwifery

[SoulLove]

I'm hoping to retrain next year- I'm currently working within special education- I have already degree related to the (not teaching).

Basically, I am struggling to decide between social work, mental health nursing and midwifery. All three have appealed to me for a long time for various reasons and I am struggling to narrow it down. I know the funding has recently changed with but I think I will still be eligible to apply for student finance.

Would really appreciate any thoughts or experiences relating to these areas!

If you're in England, yes you will still be eligible for student finance. If Wales it's not as straightforward. Don't know about NI/Scotland.

Degree programmes tend to want you to have experience of academic study within 3-5 years.

They are all very different! What appeals to you about each?

I desperately wanted to be a midwife, but a midwife friend advised to do nursing first, "to keep my future open" as she put it . Which is what I did and I am glad. When I did my maternity placement I realised that I didn't think I could do it (first birth I was present at was difficult and the father was awful).

I would give the same advice as my friend. That said, I'm getting itchy about retraining

Do you want to work unsocial hours? I'm not a midwife nor a nurse - don't they work shifts?

I am a social worker, though. Ask away.

Sorry forgot I started this thread

My main interest is within Mental Health, and working with young people and women. I've seen a graduate entry 2 year degree for mental health nursing which appeals, but midwifery is something I have considered due to my own experiences and wanting to work in a supportive role with women.

My experience is with education (all ages), family support work and disability. I actually had an interview for a Social Work MA several years ago but stupidly decided not to go for it did to funding.

NewLife what area do you work in? Is there much scope for career progression?

Mental health nursing is not what it looks like from the outside. Id say volunteer or take up agency work as a mental health support worker for a month and then decide. Speak to the MH nurses, get a feel of the working conditions.

I'd go for social work.

i guess mh nursing and social work could lead to similar jobs eventually in supporting young people if this is your interest however the early jobs may be a bit different. It depends which side of things you want to work for- health or social. Midwifery is quite different. Work experience sounds like a good idea/ you don't want to train gen realise you don't like it!

Social worker here. Job prospects in mental health are bleak at best. Most underfunded sector of social care.

Thousands of jobs for child protection social workers though.

SoulLife, I work in adults. There's a little scope for progression. I think it depends on the LA you work in. Training is linked to the local uni where I work. You can become an Advanced Practitioner and then, if you want, a Team Manager. Check out SCIE

Defiantly not social work!!!! I'm an occupational therapist ( great career) and work in social care with social workers who are all over worked and utterly unhappy and in fact at risk every day as there caseload are off the scale and growing by the minute , I see people just about hanging into their sanity !!!! Look into my job , its in demand and pays more than most

Agree, occupational therapists seemed to be generally a lot happier than nurses where I worked.
I'd be very wary of going into nursing currently, it's so short staffed and I can't see things improving.