Do I need a degree to become a social worker?

To become a registered social worker you'll need either an undergraduate or postgraduate degree in social work. You can also do a degree apprenticeship to become a social worker. If you have a degree already, you could do a work-based training programme to gain a master's degree or postgraduate diploma in social work.

What skills do I need to become a social worker?

To be an effective social worker, you need to be flexible and have a problem-solving approach. You'll need to be able to understand people's challenges and be confident and competent in handling your workload. Useful skills social workers need: Active listening - to establish trust and collect client information, you'll have to engage in active listening. This means paying attention to and remembering what others tell you. You can do this by demonstrating appropriate body language and responses. Boundary setting - the nature of the job makes it easy to become emotionally involved in cases. Establishing boundaries prevents crossing professional lines and helps maintain focus on the ultimate goal. Problem solving - quick thinking allows you to make critical decisions and solve intricate problems by applying your knowledge, understanding, and case analysis. Communication skills - social workers need to communicate clearly and articulately with a range of people in a variety of ways. This may be face-to-face, over the phone, presenting cases to colleagues or making written referrals. Interpersonal skills - as a social worker, a big part of your role is about building relationships and trust with your clients, so being able to work with people from all backgrounds is essential. IT proficiency - as you will need to complete a substantial amount of paperwork and keep accurate records, proficiency with computers is essential. Organisational skills - social workers have to juggle a busy caseload and work with other agencies on a regular basis. Good organisational skills are vital as this will enable you to prioritise your cases whilst under pressure. Resiliiencey - the work can be emotionally challenging and you may have to deal with people in crisis. Resilience and looking after your emotional needs are necessary to succeeding as a social worker.

Are there background checks to becoming a social worker?

You'll need to pass enhanced background checks to become a social worker.

Becoming a Social Worker | Step by Step Guide

Social workers are in high demand. If you’re thinking of joining this profession, you can be confident in your ability to secure a fulfilling role.

In this article, we'll cover:

What is a social worker?

A social worker is someone who works with vulnerable groups of people, providing care, support, and protection to individuals in need.

A social worker's role involves safeguarding vulnerable children and adults, preventing abuse and harm, and supporting people to live independently.

As a social worker, you’ll have the opportunity to work with people of all ages, during times in their lives when they need help finding solutions to their problems.

Key facts

The average starting salary of a social worker is £27,000 as of 2024.
To work as a social worker you’ll have to register with one of four UK regulators.
You may be expected to work some evenings, weekends and bank holidays.
There are three main routes to becoming a social worker: university, apprenticeship and a graduate training scheme.

Why become a social worker?

Routes to becoming a social worker in the UK

Because social work is a graduate profession, you'll need degree level education in order to qualify.

There are three main routes to becoming a social worker in the UK:

University
Degree apprenticeship
Graduate training scheme

You could study a degree in social work at university. To work as a social worker in the UK, check that the degree is accredited by Social Work England.

If you already have a degree in another subject and want to retrain or change careers, you could study a postgraduate degree in social work.

To support your studies in social work, you may be eligible for a social work bursary.

Entry requirements

Depending on the institution, you’ll typically need:

Two to three A Levels, or equivalent
A degree in any subject if you want to study a postgraduate course

Always check the entry requirements for the course and institution you’re applying to.

If you wanted to learn as you earn, you could do a degree apprenticeship. The Social Work Degree Apprenticeship Level 6 takes around three years to complete.

Entry requirements

You'll typically need:

Four or five GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C)
A Levels, or equivalent, for a degree apprenticeship

Always check the entry requirements for the apprenticeship and institution you’re applying to.

If you have a degree already, you could do a work-based training programme to gain a master's degree or postgraduate diploma in social work.

Available programmes:

Step Up to Social Work - the Department of Education covers the cost of your university tuition and provides a tax-free bursary whilst you're studying.
Frontline - a government-funded practice leadership development programme for children’s social work managers and supervisors across England.
Think Ahead - a two-year, fully funded training programme for those wanting to work as a mental health social worker.

Entry requirements

You’ll typically need:

a 2:2 (second-class) honours degree

Always check the entry requirements for the course and institution you’re applying to.

What does a social worker do?

Your day-to-day will look different depending on if you work with children, families or adults.

As a social worker, you might:

meet with individuals and families to assess needs and create support plans
maintain records, write reports, and discuss cases with supervisors
ensure client safety and take necessary steps for their protection
help clients in building and sustaining independent living skills
work closely with communities, health professionals, and other agencies

Frequently asked questions about becoming a social worker

Search the FAQs :

To get a job as a social worker you must register with one of the four UK regulators

This is to make sure all social workers are fully qualified and are operating to the highest standards.

You'll have to re-register every two or three years. Re-registration requires you to complete ongoing learning and training. The four regulators listed above have different requirements.

Social Work England requires social workers to keep a record of their CPD (Continued Professional Development) activities. Social Work England also carry out random audits to ensure that those registered have been doing the necessary training.

To be an effective social worker, you need to be flexible and have a problem-solving approach. You'll need to be able to understand people's challenges and be confident and competent in handling your workload.

Useful skills social workers need:

Active listening - to establish trust and collect client information, you'll have to engage in active listening. This means paying attention to and remembering what others tell you. You can do this by demonstrating appropriate body language and responses.
Boundary setting - the nature of the job makes it easy to become emotionally involved in cases. Establishing boundaries prevents crossing professional lines and helps maintain focus on the ultimate goal.
Problem solving - quick thinking allows you to make critical decisions and solve intricate problems by applying your knowledge, understanding, and case analysis.
Communication skills - social workers need to communicate clearly and articulately with a range of people in a variety of ways. This may be face-to-face, over the phone, presenting cases to colleagues or making written referrals.
Interpersonal skills - as a social worker, a big part of your role is about building relationships and trust with your clients, so being able to work with people from all backgrounds is essential.
IT proficiency - as you will need to complete a substantial amount of paperwork and keep accurate records, proficiency with computers is essential.
Organisational skills - social workers have to juggle a busy caseload and work with other agencies on a regular basis. Good organisational skills are vital as this will enable you to prioritise your cases whilst under pressure.
Resiliiencey - the work can be emotionally challenging and you may have to deal with people in crisis. Resilience and looking after your emotional needs are necessary to succeeding as a social worker.

To summarise, becoming a social worker is an incredibly rewarding career and you'll have the opportunity to make a real difference to someone's life.

If you have questions or want to find out more about becoming a social worker, chat to our team.

Your saved courses

How to become a social worker

What is a social worker?

Key facts

Why become a social worker?

Routes to becoming a social worker in the UK

What does a social worker do?

Frequently asked questions about becoming a social worker

Where next?

Social Work

Social Work, BA (Hons)

Social Work, MA

How to become a social worker

What is a social worker?

Key facts

Why become a social worker?

Make a difference

Social work bursary

Experience different sectors

Work with variety of people

Routes to becoming a social worker in the UK

What does a social worker do?

Frequently asked questions about becoming a social worker

Do I need to register to become a social worker?

Do I need a degree to become a social worker?

What skills do I need to become a social worker?

Are there background checks to becoming a social worker?

Where next?

Social Work

Social Work, BA (Hons)

Social Work, MA