Job Opportunities in Social Work

There are over 4000 practising social workers NI and the demand for qualified social workers is growing. Most newly qualified social workers are employed within six months of graduation. A newly qualified social worker, who have successfully completed the Assessed Year in Employment (AYE) can expect to have a salary starting at over £22,000 per year, which could progress to around £31,000 per year as they gain experience.

In Northern Ireland, Health and Social Care Trusts (HSST) employ the majority of social workers. Social workers are also employed in many areas within the independent, private and voluntary sector, as well as the Probation Board for NI, Juvenile Justice, Education Welfare and specialist settings such as addiction services and fostering and adoption. Vacancies are normally advertised in local newspapers, the internet, employer bulletins, job centres and with recruitment agencies. The NISCC Social Care Contacts booklet has contact information for social care recruitment. 

Social work is a rewarding and challenging career. Qualified social workers fulfil many roles, including counsellor, advocate, protector, listener, problem solver, manager, mediator and decision-maker. They can work in a variety of settings with a wide range of people, each with their own unique strengths, needs and hopes for the future. This includes: older people; people with acute; or terminal illness; people with physical or learning disabilities; people with visual or hearing impairments; families and children or young people; people with mental ill health; people who are homeless; people with alcohol and/or drugs dependency and people who have offended or been affected by crime

Currently the responsibilities and pay grades within social work vary according to employer and location. The Agenda for Change review of job roles and grades, which is due for completion later in 2008 will provide clarification about these requirements. NISCC will develop more information about the specialist areas within social work during the next year. 

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