Social Work

The course is designed for students who want to enter professional social work, a profession which engages with people who experience levels of social disadvantage and/or discrimination. Typically you will want ‘to make a difference’ to help enhance people’s lives at a personal and structural level; to counter discrimination and oppression. The course will equip you with the appropriate knowledge and skills, as well as encouraging and enabling you to explore the value base necessary for qualified social workers. It will also prepare you for 170 days of practice over two placements.

This course will prepare you for social work practice and make you eligible to apply for registration with Social Work England (SWE) as a Social Worker which is mandatory for practice within the UK.

At the point of graduation you will have met the requirements of the Professional Capabilities Framework (PCF) for qualifying social work programmes and you will also have a broad academic and practice based understanding of social work through placement experiences, supported by wide reading and research.

All teaching staff on the course are qualified and registered social work practitioners, drawn directly from social work practice. Their varied experiences and expertise will enhance your opportunity to gain first-hand knowledge of social work and social care. Mental Health, Children and Families, Child Protection, Learning Difficulties, Adult Care, Palliative Care, Fostering and Adoption, HIV/AIDS, Substance Misuse, and Youth Justice being just some examples of the diversity of experiences on offer. The social work course is developed around the professional body (SWE), National and European requirements. The course at the University of Wolverhampton has some excellent features including:

Successful completion of the BA (Hons) Social Work enables you to apply to (SWE) for Registered Social Worker status. It is a generic qualification that enables you to work as a qualified social worker within statutory, private/independent and voluntary sector organisations. The generic nature of the course means that, on qualification, you can choose your preferred area of practice and, as a qualifying degree it is recognised both nationally and internationally.

On qualifying many people choose to work for an employer who is part of the Assessed and Supported Year in Employment (ASYE) scheme. This government funded scheme provides additional support to Newly Qualified Social Workers (NQSW’s) during the first 12 months of employment. Participating employers offer training that directly relates to your new role, more frequent supervision and a reduced caseload.

One of the benefits of a career in social work is the range of opportunities available. Whether you choose a career working with children and families, in youth justice, with older adults, people with learning or physical disabilities or in mental health services you will find a range of career paths available. Many people progress to Senior Social Worker/Senior Practitioner posts and assume more supervisory and management responsibilities before moving on to management positions. Alternatively, you may find that you prefer to remain in practice and/or develop specialist skills in a particular area.

As a registered professional you will be required to maintain your registration and show evidence of continual professional development (CPD) throughout your working life. There are a range of additional specialist qualifications that you can pursue. For example, you may go on to become an Approved Mental Health Professional (AMHP), Best Interests Assessor, Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DOLS) Assessor. Some people choose to develop the academic side of their career by studying for a Masters Degree or PhD; others become involved in teaching, training and the supervision of student placements.