Careers in Adult Social Care
If you have a caring personality and want a career where you’re making a difference to other people’s lives, you might be considering careers in adult social care.
But what does the work involve? What training or qualifications do you need? And what jobs are available?
We take a look at the different jobs within the care sector – from what they’re called to what they involve – and cover everything you need to know about careers in adult social care.
What is ‘Social Care’?
Social care is a term that generally describes all forms of personal care and other practical assistance in looking after people who need extra support. This might be for children, young people, older people or those with disabilities and additional needs.
Working in social care is about providing physical, emotional and social support to help people live their lives. For various reasons and at different stages in their lives, some people need support to develop and maintain their independence, dignity and control.
What does a job in Adult Social Care involve?
Every day on the job is different. One day you could be teaching someone to cook. The next you could be going for a walk in the park. You could be involved with indoor activities like puzzles or crafts. Or getting outdoors, taking customers for a haircut or a game of pool.
Sometimes the work can be challenging as you’re supporting people with complex needs. Depending on the customer, you might need to help with cleaning, food preparation, dressing or medication. For others, it’s all about being a great listener and making the perfect cup of tea.
What kind of jobs are available?
There are lots of different types of jobs in adult social care and employers can use a range of job titles. The most common are:
- Care Worker, Care Giver or Care Assistant: supporting people with all aspects of their daily lives
- Personal Assistant: employed directly by an individual person, supporting them to live independently, usually in their own home
- Rehabilitation Worker: helping people live independently, often following an illness
- Activities Coordinator: organising social activities for people who need care and support
There are other jobs available – from cleaning and housekeeping to working in the kitchen and serving meals.
Why should I work in social care?
- You’ll make a massive difference to someone’s life
You could work with lots of different people, for example someone with a physical disability, a learning disability and/ or autism, dementia, or help someone recover from an accident.
- There are lots of opportunities to develop your skills
When you start working, you’ll be given an induction and structured training which usually includes the Care Certificate – a standard everyone needs to work in the sector. You’ll continue to develop your knowledge through formal qualifications, which a lot of employers will pay for you to do!
- There’s lots of opportunities to grow your career
Adult social care services are growing and changing all the time, which means there are lots of opportunities to grow and progress. There are now new roles that involve social and health care, with structured career paths to work towards.
- There’s a job for everyone!
There are hundreds of different jobs and careers in adult social care, depending on what you want to do, who you want to work with and where you want to work. Plus, the sector needs to fill an extra half a million jobs by 2030 to meet the growing demand for services!
To find out more about careers in adult social care here in Stockport, take a look at our career guide. We explore the local jobs market, entry requirements, future employers and career prospects.
