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Have you been thinking about a career in the social care sector? It can be hard work but at the same time it’s always a pleasure. Right now the sector faces an enormous challenge: to find an extra half a million dedicated staff by the year 2030, required to meet a fast-growing demand for adult social care. Here’s why a career in the social care sector can be incredibly rewarding.
Why choose a social care career?
First and foremost, working in the social care sector is all about helping people cope with everyday life, giving them the support they need to feel valued and independent. And as we all know, very few things feel better than offering a warm helping hand to a fellow human being. That glow you get from doing good, from helping make someone’s day, is hard to beat, and that’s one of the biggest attractions the sector offers.
You could end up working with people from different backgrounds, who need support or care in some shape or form. For example, you may support someone who has a physical disability visit local shops or help a person who has learning disabilities or autism maintain their independence. Either way you’ll potentially make a dramatic difference to someone’s life, and that’s magic.
An unusually broad sector packed with variety
It’s interesting to note that social care is an unusually broad sector offering a wide array of different career paths, everything from highly academic and intellectual to wholly practical. And you don’t always need specific qualifications either, since many roles begin with on-the-job training. You can learn while you work and progress towards the relevant professional qualifications once you’ve found out which kind of role and career path will suit you best.
Exciting new roles to fulfil
Change is always exciting, and while there will always be a demand for social care expertise, the roles that fall within the sector are changing fast. Some new roles are predicted to involve both social care and health care, which adds another exciting dimension to a career in social care. One of the newest roles is that of a ‘care navigator’, where you’re the first point of contact for a person who uses social and health care services, and you do everything you can to help them access the services they want whilst ensuring you can help them stay well, independent and safe in their own homes. Roles like this cover multiple disciplines, from social care itself to health, housing and employment support. And then there are ‘shared lives’ carers, who actually live with people in their home to support them either long or short term.
Helping society as a whole
Because social carers help individuals, they help society as a whole. It’s about actually making a difference. And the word ‘care’ sits at the centre of everything. Those who work in the care sector genuinely care, and that natural compassion is what makes roles in care so special. If you’re a naturally caring personality type, you’ll slot right in and have a wonderful time.
A career with a bright future
Social care is a career with a future. We’ll always have older people who need looking after, people with special needs of various kinds who want expert support. Your career won’t disappear in a puff of smoke just because the world has changed or technology has moved on.
Lots of variety
Variety is the spice of life, and a role in the care sector means you’ll experience endless, wonderful variety, with no two days the same. You might have a direct care role, or work in the management, administration or ancillary side of things. You can find yourself working in the community one day, in a care home or hospice the next day, and an office or someone’s home the day after, and every time your responsibilities will be different.
Perfect for a ‘people person’
If you’re a people-person, a social care career is a great move. The person you visit might be alone all day, you’re their only company, and your presence means the world to them. This means your presence and the support you offer is special and that makes social care massively rewarding.
Flexible working hours
Care staff often work regular shifts with a set number of hours, but you’ll find many employers are fairly flexible, letting you take on extra work if you want to and manage shifts around childcare and family responsibilities. Evening and weekend shifts suit plenty of people really well, leaving their days free. You can find full time social care jobs or work as an when you want via agencies if you wish.
Time for an exciting change?
If you’re looking for a job that benefits from multiple career paths and is both flexible and rewarding then why not think about social care? It could prove the best move you ever make.
At SRG Care Consultancy our aim is to support our clients to deliver a high level or care. Care compliance is our specialism however we also have a dedicated team that focuses on supporting our clients with both talent attraction and the recruitment process as a whole. To learn more about how we can help contact us directly on 0330 133 0174 or visit https://wordpress-623853-2036581.cloudwaysapps.com/recruitment/