Explore Our Care Courses
Adult Care Level 3
Adult Care Level 5
Childcare Level 3
Become A Social Care Manager In 4 Steps
In 2019/20, it was reported by Kings Fund that 1.9 million working adults and older requested extra support. Out of those people, only 43% received some form of service, 28% received advice and 29% received nothing. Now there could be many reasons for that, e.g. understaffing, poor services, funding etc.
This is where you come in. You know you have the passion to become a social worker and contribute to the decrease of those who are rejected of care. As well as that you can feel proud starting/working your way up the social worker ladder. Win-win right?
So once again, if you would like to become a social care manager – even if you have no
formal experience, this checklist helps you:
- Pinpoint the exact career path you want.
- Find the two people you MUST speak to before you start your social care career.
- A quote that will help you stay committed where most quit.
- How to move up the career ladder and become a manager.
1. Find out who you want to become in the future
Obviously, you need to know what you want to be doing for this checklist to work
effectively for you. But if you have no idea what you want to become, here is a list
of jobs offered in the social care industry:
- Senior Care Support Worker
- Lead Personal Assistant
- Manager
- Deputy Manager
- Assistant Manager
- Care Broker
- Case Manager
- Residential Childcare Worker
- Residential Childcare Manager, Deputy and Assistant Manager
- Managers, Deputy and Assistant Managers in other adult or children and young people’s social care settings
Do some research on each, and once you’re happy with the choice you have made, you can move on to the next step of this checklist.
2. Find the right 2 people to kickstart your career
There are two people you need to talk to, to help you kickstart your career.
The first person is somebody who’s been in your shoes. Someone who knows what it’s like to start with limited experience in your field, and has worked their way up to where you want to be. This person can give you all the ups, downs, benefits and disadvantages of working in this field, to help you clarify what exactly is it you want.
The next person you need to talk to is someone who will actually get you through the door. This person is someone who can get you started with either training, unpaid work, an internship or an apprenticeship in the social care industry, and help you progress to the next stage of your career.
We will reveal to you exactly how to find these two people – this might even be one person – at the end of this checklist.
3. Start - and stay committed
Now don’t be fooled. Starting out in this industry will require a lot of work and patience. This might take months – or up to a year. And this may discourage you from continuing. So here’s something to think about:
“When you start a 4-year course at 28, you will be 32. Will you spend 4 years working towards getting something, or 4 years wondering what if? You’ll still be 32.”
Now starting a career won’t take you 4 years, it could take you months, but if you haven’t learned anything in this checklist, this is the one thing you should take away.
Whether you’re being assessed through direct observation in the workplace, a portfolio of evidence, written assignments or a task, you’ll be supported along the way – usually by one person or a team. This is to make sure that you’re focused on finishing the path you’ve taken leading up to you starting a career in social care.
4. Work your way up the career ladder
In 2019/20, 64% of those who require care said that they were satisfied with the services they received. That’s a small decrease from 2014/15.
Here’s something you need to know about working as a social carer:
People are sceptical due to the horror stories they hear on the news about how poorly vulnerable people are treated. But you’re not like that. You want to help vulnerable people. And make a
difference.
The best way for you to prove yourself trustworthy and work your way up the ladder is to take courses, gain certificates etc. Now a lot of people will be frustrated saying “That seems like a lot of work.” And it can be. If you’re all over the place. But having one place where you can gain those qualifications will help you stay organised and on track to the career you want. You will learn now learn more about that place and those two people.
The Next Step
As promised, we are going to tell you exactly where you can find these two people.
The first person is any social worker on LinkedIn. You can ask to hop on a 20-minute call with them to understand what it’s like working as a social worker and decide if the career path is for you. If you’re lucky, they might even give you an opportunity for a work placement.
The second person to speak to, to actually start your career in social care and work your
way up the ladder is AFD Training. Depending on exactly what your career path is, we’ve got you covered. If you have little to no experience, our course can help you develop the knowledge and skills needed when working in a lead adult care worker role in care settings. It covers a wide range of areas including supporting individuals with their physical and emotional care, daily living needs and health and social care procedures. This qualification also aligns with the Apprenticeship Standard for Lead Adult Care Worker and Lead Personal Assistant.