Career progression advice needed - social care history but unable to do social work degree

[fallenbehind90]

I am wondering if anyone might be able to help me with my career options.

I have a First Class degree in English and a PGCE. Following my time in teaching I worked in mental health, in Early Help with children and families and I currently work with Care Leavers. It was my goal to get a Social Work qualification and become a Social Worker - I was hoping to do this through programmes such as Frontline or Step Up as doing a 3 year undergrad degree or apprenticeship isn't financially viable for me.

I had the assessment centre for Step Up today and it went terribly. There's no way I will have got a place and I think now the door on social work has shut for me, which I am pretty devastated about because I love working with vulnerable people and supporting them to make positive life changes.

I now need a new plan for career progression and I just don't know where to start. Can anyone advise on where I can go from here?

I'm sure you know this but it's a very stressful career with high levels of burn out. Think carefully about the sector if you're planning on starting a family - the hours can be unpredictable.

Occupational Therapy is less stressful, similar pay and opportunities and regular hours with little crisis work.

My daughter has just completed her 2yr masters and had a bursary . .
She has just finished her course and handed in dissertation…there is a delay with marking because of the lecturers strike but will start her job as a SW once her DBS and then will be ready to role .
Good luck. Am trying to remember when she applied. Shall ask her tomorrow.

As you are a qualified teacher and have teaching experience, have you considered Virtual Schools? Every LA has one, their remit is to champion the education of children in care (and previously in care) and children with a social worker.

Every LA has a different VS structure, but with your skills and experience, you would be a good candidate for many roles.

Feel free to PM me if helpful

@Usernamenotavailabletryanother i work alongside Virtual School now. Unfortunately I don’t think the pay is any more than what I am on now and I am not sure there is much progression?

I’ve looked into it and the bursary it seems that the bursary is only just over £12 k to go towards tuition fees AND living costs and you can’t apply for the postgrad loan (which isn’t a lot) if you receive a bursary. Managing on that kind of money going to be impossible for me and my local uni doesn’t do a part time course. I’m gutted, it doesn’t seem like there really are any other options within social work for me.

It does really vary from LA to LA- some have advisory teachers, AHTs and DHTs under the headteacher, which provides progression and pays better. Some have a flatter structure and/or have ‘education advisors’ or similar who are more akin to HLTAs.

Good luck with whatever path you find- and I’m sorry it’s so tough. Could you try again for step up next year?

@Usernamenotavailabletryanother yeah my LA only seems to have advisors and nothing else. unfortunately Step Up only run every 2 years and there’s no guarantee they will fund another cohort. I’m so stuck and I just don’t know what to do

Are you able to PM which area of the country/which LA you’re in?

I’m guessing you’ve already explored frontline…

@fallenbehind90 what about approaching nhs trusts and see if they offer it as an apprenticeship?

It depends what you want future wise, I’ve been a support worker for 15years and then progressed within the organisation. I do have direct contact but not like I did as a support worker.

@Usernamenotavailabletryanother I am wondering about Frontline but their application process also involves a role play and I am just no good at them. I'm worried that I will wait another year, apply and then not get in and be in the same situation I am in now.

@theresalwaysguineapigcurry my LA offers an apprenticeship but it takes 3 years and I just feel that I don't really have that amount of time

@IhateJan22 that's interesting, what role have you progressed to that means you are earning more than Social Workers?

I have spoken to my manager about possibly doing the PG Dip in Social Work with the OU alongside my current role. It would cost me all of my savings but at least I'd still be earning. I need the agreement of my employer though and I'd need 170 days off my current job to do placement so I'm thinking it's probably unlikely that they'll agree. There seem to be barriers at every turn!

It’s very likely they’ll agree to the PG Dip I would have thought… there is usually a budget for training too, so don’t be shy to ask them to pay the fees. They can only say no 🤞

What about a qcf level 5? Some health and social care roles will let u train while doing it. What part of the uk are you in and I could suggest if the one I’m thinking is relevant in your area, feel free to pm me

@fallenbehind90 have you looked at the difference in cost of you use your savings to top up the bursary?

SW academic here. Applications are open until the course closes - this will be at different times for different courses and Universities.
I would avoid fast track programmes personally (but I am biased) - perhaps read about the experiences of previous students and give Joe Hanley a follow on Twitter for a critical perspective on these schemes.
PG apprenticeships will come in before long so never say never.
Some employers pay their apprentices a very fair (i.e. 'care manager') wage so perhaps widen your search area if possible.
It isn't feasible to keep a full-time job and do a social work qualifying course unfortunately - it's just too demanding. Many / all of our students work part-time alongside their studies though - just depends on your personal circumstances what is workable.
Perhaps it's worth spending a bit of time over the next year thinking through your options to come to a considered decision. Uni admissions teams will be able to point you to financial advice / funding options.

Chester is still taking applications for the MA as it's a January start.

Fallenbehind, I could have written this exact thread after my Step up interview 6 years ago, I was so surprised when I got a place on the scheme, am now a qualified social worker, still working in children and families in the same LA. Don't give up just yet...

@Usernamenotavailabletryanother not my LA! Before I even applied for Step Up I asked if they'd fund the OU course and they said no, which seems very unfair as I have friends who work in Public Health who are funded to do MAs alongside work. Having looked on the website it seems your employer has to do an expression of interest before you actually apply. The deadline for this is 4 August and you know how slow LAs are to do anything.

@Dreamingofthishouse I'm not sure if a qcf Level 5 allows you to register as a Social Worker? I'm in Herfordshire

@Lougle from my understanding, the bursary goes towards fees AND living costs. I only have about £8K in savings so it just wouldn't work

@FloozingThePlot thank you for your contribution - I'm very interested in your view that fast track schemes aren't great and I will certainly follow Joe Hanley. You're probably right that I need to take some time to come to a decision rather than rushing into anything. I'm in panic mode right now.

@Loftmum ah that's lovely to hear, thank you for the vote of confidence. It's a horrible feeling isn't it? I think it would be a miracle if I did get in though.

Hi everyone, I just wanted to update you on my situation since you were all so kind to me when I really was at a loss as to what to do. I decided to go down the OU route and apply to do a PG Dip in Social Work with them, although today I received an email offering me a place on Step Up! I can’t believe it, I really thought there was no chance I’d get in.

@FloozingThePlot i have read Joe Hanley’s work but I do feel that he has a vested interest as a lecturer in Social Work - it is in his interests to criticise fast track programmes because they take people away from having to pay obscene university fees.

That's fantastic news! Well done you.

Oh that's so good to hear!

That really is fantastic- good luck with the course!!

@fallenbehind90 great news! Thank you for updating us nice to hear a good outcome!

Thank you so much for all your support, help and advice. I was so comforted by it at the time. I am on a facebook group for applicants and some haven't got in so I am sharing all the other routes into Social Work that I learned about on here with them in a bid to pay it forward :)