Lorraine Gray discusses the many misconceptions around working in social care

‘There’s no career progression if you work in adult social care.’

‘I don’t have the qualifications I’d need to become a care worker.’

‘Care workers just do the same thing every day, I’d want a bit more variety.’

These are just some of the common misconceptions people have about working in adult social care which couldn’t be further from the truth. In fact, there’s a whole lot more to being a care worker than caring. It’s your values and behaviours that will set you apart in the adult social care sector and for many it’s not just a job, it’s a calling.

It’s time to challenge the misplaced assumptions about adult social care as for many people, it offers a far more varied and rewarding workday than a typical office, hospitality or retail job can. Working in social care, you have the opportunity to make a real difference to the lives of adults from a range of backgrounds every single day.

If you’re understanding and patient, a good listener and someone who lives their life treating others with dignity and respect, then you could be doing so much more with your natural talents than sitting behind a desk or serving customers in a shop. Working in adult social care allows people with the right characteristics to flourish in a career with lots of great options for career progression at a pace that suits you.

There’s no doubt that to be a good care worker you must be resilient and keep a clear head in challenging situations, but for most it’s a job in which the days fly by and you get the satisfaction of completing your shift knowing that you’ve made a difference to the person you support.

You don’t need any qualifications to start your career in adult social care, with employers focusing more on your attitude and attributes. Traits like patience, respect and the ability to work in a team will help you stand out from the crowd. Once you set out on your career path in adult social care there’s a host of training opportunities available and employers invest in their training and development in the workplace to help staff develop professionally and personally. I’ve heard so many stories over the years about people who felt they were going nowhere in their previous career and from people who have changed direction looking for something that gives more personal satisfaction. Since starting in adult social care they have progressed to work their way from entry level up to running care programmes, being in charge of teams and even helping other care workers to develop up the career ladder.

Care workers can have flexible schedules and aren’t chained to a desk or stuck behind a sales counter. You could be going ten pin bowling, into people’s homes to support their day-to-day living or doing that in a residential setting, enjoying the latest film at the cinema or having tea and cake with the person you support. Care workers may also need to provide emotional and practical support to help someone who, for whatever reason, finds themselves in a challenging situation. Sometimes care workers will be the only person someone sees in their day and the bond between them and the person they support can mean so much. The job can be varied and busy, but the rewards, and the ability to help change people’s lives for the better are plentiful.

The Scottish Government’s More to Care Than Caring campaign is shining a light on the reasons why adult social care is the perfect career option for so many, highlighting case studies from people already working in the sector. At the recent launch of the campaign in Edinburgh with care workers and the people they support, the room was filled with smiles and laughter. It was clear to see both the care workers loving the job they do and the people they support loving their company.

As the professional regulator for the adult social care service workforce in Scotland, the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) works closely with care workers to ensure the highest standards of practice and behaviour are met. We provide tools and resources to help learning and development and see first hand the incredible impact a role in the industry can have not only for those using care services but also for the care workers themselves.

So far from being a job that offers no career progression or traps you into the same old routine everyday, a role in adult social care offers people the chance to do something they truly loveand that they know will make a difference.. If you’re reading this and dreading the alarm going off for work tomorrow morning, why not decide to make a difference to the lives of others every day and consider a career in adult social care. Find out more at: https://caretocare.scot/

Lorraine Gray is chief executive of the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC)