Okay maybe am mad but I think... no I know I want to be a social worker

[mamadiva]

Is there anyone else out there who could talk me through how to go about it and daft question am very very sensitive so is it totally stupid of me to do this or is that a good trait in the job?

I've always worked with children and loved it but after recent events, which I don't think we even need to mention on here iut's made me think I really want to make a stand and make a difference to childrens lives!

So experiences please? Good or bad please tell me.

If you are asked at interview why you want to be a SW don't say 'to help people'. The answer to that is usually 'don't be a SW then, go and work for a charity'.

If you have a degree you can take a masters course, if not you will need to do a SW degree.

Think being very sensitive could make SW difficult. NOt so much because of child protection (SW's do hundreds of other things) but because you will be dealing with difficult people a lot. You need to be fairly robust to be a SW tbh. I have a sensitive SW assistant and her sensitivity drives me a bit insane (I'm a service user) if I'm honest. It makes dealing with her that much harder.

Hmm okay everyone I know keeps telling me that I would be great at something helping with vulnerable children/adults, at the moment I work in a dementia home, but again those poeple say that social work wouldn't be right for me because I am soo sensitive,

I think that maybe SW isn't for me Didn't take much did it, but no I dunnoe I just want to do something worthwhile and something that actually means something to someone rather than just slaving away for nothing.

I work in a residential special school (children's home) and i love it. it's a fab job and much more hands on than i imagine being a social worker would be iykwim.

I know what you mean. I thought about SW and my mother told me blunty I'd hate it. She said I would hate the constant meeetings and the inability to actually do anything or change anything because of bureaurocracy (can never spell that).

I'm now quite closely involved with SW's in my job and can see it would probably have been wrong for me. I am doing a small amount of teaching on a SW masters course though.

DS1 goes to an SLD/PMLD school and I think working in there would be wonderful. It has such a lovely atmosphere. Much nicer than a normal school.

There are other jobs you can do which could make a difference in childrens lives without the "toughness" needed in SW. Like, working in a creche at a prison, or an access centre, or somewhere with families who need befriending. You would still be helping people who need a hand. I think in SW you have to spend as much time being tough with people as you do being nice to them, and as others have said that can include some very "difficult" people!

I have a friend who is a social worker and he is in the process of leaving because the burocracy drives him mad. He says it doesn't matter how good you are at the job, ultimately the paperwork and the management often make it impossible to actually make a difference.

Also rightly or wrongly there is a massive stigma attached to social work. You only have to look at threads on here to see that social services are not highly regarded.

I too would like to make a difference and for a while have been considering studying to be a SALT. Unfortunately the closest university to me that does the course would mean commuting and atm we simply can't afford it.

Is there a special school near you? Would you consider volunteering there? That way you might get an insight into what you want to do iyswim?

DH has just started working as an LSA in a school for DCs with behavioural problems. Could you consider that?