Social Care Level 8...?anyone currently studying it or planning to?

qwertytlk

Hey everyone,

Im interested in studying Social care and have 4 different course choices lined up, with the above mentioned Social Care Level 8, being my 2nd choice on the CAO. Il be applying as a mature student, just waiting to get some copies of previous exam results before i can send off applications.
Anyway was just wondering if there is anyone out there who is currently on this course or has been in the past,and what it was like;
Difficult? Taught well? Interesting? ...anything?!!!

Also wondering if this course requires an interview along with CAO or are you just given a place on the strength of the CAO? Im applying as a mature student, so it wont be going by my points?

Also, in the research iv done on the different social care courses offered in ireland, i have stumbled upon the fact that Trinity and Cork university are the only social care courses that actually include the NSWQ (National social work qualifaction) in the course, so im wondering does this mean that you cant be a social care practicioner in ireland without this additional qualification or is the NSWQ just done so that you can practise outside Ireland also?

Thanks in advance for any info i get back on this topic, and also if you are replying to me id love if you had any extra tips or info for me!!!!

Thanks again!!!

ilovejames

hi im currently in my 2nd year of the social care course,
i think that this course is extremely interesting and challenging but in a good way, it covers the basics of pshycology, social policy, social studies, social policy, law, sociology, personal development. it sounds hard but because the topics are so interesting it makes it easier.
plenty of assignments and essays aswell, the best part for me is the work placements, you gain invaluable experience.
also the nswq that you mentioned is for social workers which would be different from a social care worker. like if you wanted to do social care and then go on to do social work afterwards than you would have to do it in the colleges you mentioned.

qwertytlk

HI, Ilovejames,

Thats really helpful thanks! I knew the social care and social work courses had various differences but if you can (and dont mind!) explain what the actual difference is between a social care worker as opposed to a social worker? I understand, for instance, that a child care worker is closely linked to a social worker but works more so on the behalf of the child....so do they have similar differences in that type of way or what?

Also, are you aware of any sites that gives detailed explanation's of the different titles and job opportunities/career directions upon completing such a course? (as im cleary struggling with all the different ones;BA Applied social care in social work, Social care, Social work Etc etc!) as il iv come accros so far are the college sites, here at boards and a couple of short student experiece essays on their course choices and first years in the courses etc.

P.s-Every timne i think i have it all worked out, something else comes up!!! haha.

Thanks

ilovejames

hi i searched a few sites but the one below had this info that might be of some use to you ,


Social care is a profession where people work in partnership with those who experience marginalisation or disadvantage or who have special needs. Social care practitioners may work, for example, with children and adolescents in residential care; people with learning or physical disabilities; people who are homeless; people with alcohol/drug dependency; families in the community; older people; or recent immigrants to Ireland.

the Ordinary Degree in Applied Social Studies (Social Care) will be the basic entry qualification.

difference between social care workers and social workers:

social care practitioners will typically work in a direct person-to-person capacity with the users of services. They will seek to provide a caring, stable environment in which various social, educational and relationship interventions can take place in the day-to-day living space of the service user. The social worker’s role is typically to manage the ‘case’, for example by arranging the residential child care placement in which a child is placed, coordinating case review meetings and negotiating the termination of a placement.

It is possible for those with a degree in social care to qualify as a social worker via the postgraduate route. A number of Irish universities (eg UCD, TCD and UCC) accept the BA (Hons) in Applied Social Studies for applications to their postgraduate social work courses. There is no guarantee of entry and the universities continue to select their students according to their own criteria. If you are interested in following this route you are advised to contact the universities involved.

search: staffweb.itsligo.ie/gateway/asp/whatis.asp

p.s: even if you do an ordinary degree as in the applied social care you can do an add on year to gain the higher level degree in social care.

rustopher

I am a mature student thinking of doing the social studies distance course at either Galway or Waterford. Galway is hon degree but Waterford is diploma.
So I am also on the look out for info, especially if anyone doing it in either of these colleges??!