Program Overview

Social care workers provide professional individual or group care to clients with personal and social needs, in a caring, compassionate, non-judgmental way. Client groups include children and adolescents in residential care; young people in detention schools; people with intellectual or physical disabilities; people who are homeless; people with alcohol/drug dependency; families in the community, older people, and asylum-seekers/refugees.

Social care work is based on interpersonal relationships. It requires empathy, strong communication skills, self-awareness and an ability to use critical reflection. Teamwork and interdisciplinary work are also important.

This course will familiarise you with the latest concepts and theoretical developments in the relevant academic disciplines, and help you to develop as a self-aware, reflective, altruistic, empathic social care professional. You’ll develop skills relevant to social care practice and benefit from supervised exposure to social care practice, using three practice placements. These will help you to make an informed choice as to which area of practice you are best suited.

Subjects studied include social care work with older people and people with disabilities, social policy and social justice, psychology and human development, professional practice, law in social care work, safeguarding children and vulnerable adults, working with communities, social policy-making and social psychology.

TU996 is a full-time course and students are required to attend lectures, in person, 5 days per week.

Work Placement

You will undertake a work placement in Years 1, 2 and 3. Practice Placement days: