The Open University offers a number of free short courses on their OpenLearn platform which provide a taster of studying online and help you learn more about social work. Here are a few examples:

• Introducing social work: a starter kit
• Supporting and developing resilience in social work
• An introduction to social work
• Try a day in the life of a social worker – this is on the ‘Social Work apprenticeship’ section but would be it be better placed here as it related to learning more about the profession?

Social work is a rewarding and endlessly fascinating profession. It is not just a job, it is a well-established and respected career. After becoming a social worker you will have a range of career pathways to choose from and develop specialist skills along the way.

If you wish to learn about social work career then browse the following information:

British Association of Social Work

For more information about different routes into social work as well as how to register to become a social worker, please visit the following link https://www.basw.co.uk/resources/become-social-worker

Joining a Trade Union

Trades unions support social work staff as individual members of staff.  They also identify and campaign on collective issues such as workplace stress, under-funding and under-resourcing of the essential services you provide.  UNISON is the biggest public sector trade union and this link explains more about the role of trade unions and how to join in your workplace:

https://www.unison.org.uk/about/what-we-do/about-trade-unions/

What service users say about social workers

Listen to what people who use services say about their social workers or the people who have tried to help them. Why do you think this is not always a positive experience for people?

Action for children

Talking about foster care.

What do social workers say about their role?

Listen to what social workers say about the realities of their working life.