mel n jay

Hi this is my first post!,

I just wondered if anyone else out there was a social worker going to Australia i was wondering what it's like to get work?.

walla

Hi and welcome aboard

Check the site below it has a few jobs on it. Social worker eh, where bouts?

www.wa.gov.au

Walla

mel n jay

Thank you for the advice, planning to go to Queensland have family there have now looked at Queensland's web page too.

cdandi

You should find something but don't expect to find the number of jobs that you would in the UK. I worked as a SW in Sydney for many years and still keep in touch with SW's over there. Expect to earn about $50,000 AUD - not much but then again SW's earn a pittance the world over! Much of the work in Sydney is locum work for a set period of time. There is no career structure as such for SW's unless you work in a hospital and move on to supervize other SW's for a couple of thousand extra a year.

Most of the work is in hospitals, community health, child protection or for the charities like Mission Australia. Jobs are advertised in the Medical section of the papers (for hospital SW's) the Government sections (child protection) and the general sections for the charities and non profit organisations advertised as Community workers and case managers. There aren't any agencies that specialize in Soical work.

Good luck.

mel n jay

Thank's for the information, I have a duel qualification in nursing and social work wonder how people will respond to that, and you are so right about the pay scales the world over!, but hey I love the work I do, a little extra money would be nice but I can't have everything.

cdandi

In community health your dual qualifications would be very much appreciated and utilized. The roles within multi disciplinary teams is sometimes blurred and your skills would really benefit the team and clients!

All the best.

donna

Hi
I have a diploma in SW and apparently its not recognized unless i do a top-up to a degree.
Hence my skills were assessed as a welfare worker,but hey they get the same points.
Good luck
We are also off to Brisbane in sept
Donna

mel n jay

I know it seems weird that you get the same points, how long did your assessment take? we are off to the Brisbane area too.

cdandi

To work as a social worker in Australia you need a 4 year degree. You need to be eligible for membership into the AASW.

There is much less work for welfare workers and the pay significantly less.

To be honest, there really isn't a great deal of work for SW's - not compared to the UK and the USA, where I am working now. I'm really surprised that the Australian government is encouraging SW's over and feel that it is a little misleading of them. By reading some of the posts written by some expats returning to the UK it would seem that finding a decent job is a major problem.

Anyway, I hope that you both manage to to get work and Australia is everything that you want it to be.

donna

From memory the assessment took about 5/6 weeks it was getting the paperwork together that took the time.
cdandi,to be fair SW are not on the demand list,and i really and not fussed if i do SW again.15 years working with stroppy teenager is enough thanks!
donna

Super K

Are you still accessing the site? Brother in law staying for another 3 weeks who is a uk social worker usually with the elderly needing some info on jobs-already has his skills assessment.hope to hear from you soon.
karen

sula

Hi Karen,
Where is your brother hoping to settle? Here is a link to an Australian social work job agency: www.socialworks.org.au
There is a lot of work in Oz for social workers but most of it is really poorly paid.Government agencies tend to pay better.If your brother is interested in hospital sw there are some interesting jobs going in Melbourne and Tasmania at the moment.

Sula

samjam

Hi,
can I add that I got a job with a DIPSW and 6 years child protetion experience, I did not need a Degree. There are also dedicated social work agencies such as ABRS Social works. Hi Sula bye the way!!
Good luck Kel x

Super K

Dear Sula
Thanks for quick reply.Eamon is wanting to settle around the Sunshine Coast area where we live but would travel a reasonable distance.He is happy to work in Hospital or Community and has been doing a Managerial post recently-the elderly is what he is comfortable with and enjoys.Any advice gratefully received-passed on the website to him.Best wishes karen.

sula

Hi Karen,
This is a good link for jobs with Queensland Government:www.jobs.qld.gov.au
He could also try: www.careerone.com.au and www.employment.byron.com.au

Good luck
Sula