Careers in social care

An apprenticeship is one of the best ways to get into health and social care. You can get hands on experience, a salary and the opportunity to gain qualifications while you work.

Anyone living in England, over 16 years of age and not in full time education can apply for an apprenticeship.

If you are thinking of becoming an apprentice, visit:

• Skills for Care
• Think Care Careers
• Gov.UK

Level two jobs involve working directly with individuals and assisting them with their day-to-day needs. Jobs at this level include:

• Care / Support Worker
  Supporting people with personal care (e.g. washing and dressing) and helping them to stay independent in their own homes (e.g. helping with domestic chores). Good support will include asking the person how they want to be supported and offering as much choice and independence as the person can manage.  This could be in various workplace settings in the community.
• Personal Assistant
  Working directly with individuals to support them in every aspect of their daily living and enabling them to live as independently as possible. Reablement / Rehabilitation Worker
  Working directly with individuals to support them in every aspect of their daily living and enabling them to live as independently as possible, often following illness.
• Healthcare Assistant
  Working in hospital or community settings, such as GP surgeries, under the guidance of a qualified healthcare professional.
• Ancillary Roles
  Jobs not specific to care but vital to the running and success of a health and social care organisation. e.g. Domestic/cleaning, catering/chef, driver, maintenance, gardener, handy person.

Each job gives you the opportunity to train within the workplace. Your employer will identify what training you need and offer support. Qualifications include Awards, Certificates or Diplomas in Health and Social Care, Support Services or Clinical Skills – usually at level 2 or 3.

Your employer will normally access training through local colleges and private training organisations, some larger employers deliver their own training and qualifications.

Level three jobs are more senior and usually require previous experience and a certain level of training. Jobs at this level include:

• Senior Care and Support Worker
  The same job as a care worker but with additional duties (e.g. front line staff supervision, monitoring of care workers and care assistants) or with additional responsibilities for a particular area of the work (e.g. infection prevention lead or end of life lead within the service). 

• Team Leader / Front Line Manager
  Responsible for the day-to-day provision of social care services. This means supporting staff and ensuring the standard of care delivered is always high. 

• Assistant Practitioner
  Supporting role alongside qualified healthcare professionals. 

• Health Care Assistant
  Supporting role in hospitals or community settings, such as GP surgeries, under the guidance of a qualified healthcare professional. 

Each job gives you the opportunity to train within the workplace. Your employer will identify what  training you need and offer support. Qualifications include Awards, Certificates or Diplomas in Health and Social Care or Clinical Skills – usually at level 3 or 4.

Your employer will normally access training through local colleges and private training organisations, some larger employers deliver their own training and qualifications.

Level four jobs are more senior and usually require previous experience and a certain level of training. Jobs at this level include:

• Assistant Practitioner (also known as Associate Practitioner)
  Although not a registered practitioner, the job has a level of skill in a particular area of clinical practice gained through experience and training.

• Occupational Therapy Assistant
  Helping occupational therapy clients by providing rehabilitative services, under the direction of occupational therapists, to persons with mental, physical, emotional, or developmental impairments.

• Mental Health Support Worker
  Supporting people with long term mental health problems, helping them to adapt to ordinary life within the community by developing coping skills rather than being institutionalised in a hospital or hostel.

• Equipment Technician
  Advising and maintaining equipment designed to enable people to live more independent lives. Includes electronic and electro-mechanical equipment and other  electronic assistive technology.

• Social Care Assessor
  Two types of jobs. One job is in Care Direct Plus carrying out telephone assessments. The second job is in the community looking at individuals support needs and linking with other professionals to meet those needs.

• Standard Broker
  Matching care services to needs identified in individual care and support plans, following an assessment  of need by care management staff. Arranging these services with accredited providers, subject to the agreed delegated authority levels being applied.

• Deputy Manager and Team Leader
  Responsible for the day-to-day provision of social care services. This means supporting staff and ensuring the standard of care delivered is always high. Most services in health and social care will have a management role.

Qualifications expected for some of these jobs include a Level 4 Diploma in Adult Care or a Level 5 Diploma in Leadership and Management of Care Services. Both are practice-based qualifications for specific job roles assessed in the workplace.  Other roles listed require specialist training and qualifications,  your employer will identify what training you need and offer support as appropriate.

Your employer will normally access training through local colleges and private training organisations, some larger employers deliver their own training and qualifications.

Level five jobs require considerable experience in health and social care, as well as management experience. Jobs at this level include:

• Manager in health and social care settings such as care homes (residential and nursing)
  Responsible for running a service (or services) and supervising senior staff. Includes making decisions about the direction and quality of a service that will impact on improving people’s lives.

• Senior Practitioner and Assistant Practitioner (within the NHS) (also known as Associate Practitioner)
  Although not a registered practitioner, the job has a level of skill in a particular area of clinical practice gained through experience and training.

• Public Health Practitioner
  A job in many places and in many areas of public health. For example, supporting healthy lifestyle programmes, helping individuals and groups to stop smoking and take more exercise. More about this job.

Experienced professionals have a wide-range of opportunities in health and social care. Jobs at this level include:

• Registered Manager
  Under the Care Standards Act 2000, the Registered Manager is responsible for the social care provision that he/she is managing.

• Registered Professionals (Physiotherapist, Occupational Therapist, Social Worker, Nurse (paediatric/mental health/ adult), Operating Department practitioners, Adult Mental Health Practitioner, Psychologist, and Midwife)
  Qualified or registered professionals specialising in a particular area.