:curse:

Can anyone help a distressed UK qualified social worker get a job in Perth!!!!!!

I arrived here 3 months ago, with 1 years post qualifying experience in the UK, only to be told that I can't get a social worker job without going to uni for 1 year at a cost of nearly $6000!

Has anyone else had the same experience or can offer any suggestions?

I'm going mad here!!!!!!!

Ouch! Is it because they want you to have a four year degree?
Possibly a slightly junior or sideways role whilst you study via distance?
Have you investigated whether a different state would have different qualification requirements?

Sure is...nightmare eh?

I'm living in WA and really don't want to move states. Reckon the distance learning might be the way to go though.......

This isn't going to be info you welcome, I suspect, but some threads of interest from the archives could be those by former posters Jirrupin and Ellen Fedulow - interesting re-reading for those of us that were on the forum when they were originally posted, and I certainly remember both posters struggling to find social work jobs.

I had a few threads as well around SW quals. A social worker in UK (unless from a few Uni's) will be more or less a community worker in Aus, especially if newly qualified. In NSW you do have to do the extra year in (if I remember correctly) Charles Sturt before you can be accepted as a social worker. mostly can be done by distance with a few residentials. Would reckon other states have a similar setup.

A SW'er from AUS going to UK (which many do for a few years) would be snapped up but it doesnt work the other way in that profession and certainly not for gov bodies.

Thanks for your reply! I reckon I'm going to have to bite the bullet and do the uni thing! Hopefully this will help me on my way to being recognised as 'fully' qualified this time next year!

I know, Nitemare eh!!!

I hesitate to write this as it will certainly hijack your thread but I get the feeling the macho Aussie culture might find social work a bit namby pamby. I heard of lots of people working in it and receiving the benefit in the UK but not at all in 2 1/2 years in Perth. As a result I don't find it surprising that the Premier retires with depression, sports stars and media-types die of suicides / drug abuse... Maybe you can be one of those people who helps change attitudes here that mental illness / disability is not a sign of weakness.

my sister in law got a job as a social worker,shes a nurse..

ill get you all the help you want..

let me know what you want?

ast

I think Walla is a social worker in Perth and he is a regular poster on here.

G

I am normally a very social worker, especially on Friday nights.

Is your qualification DIPSWA? WA requires their social workers to have a degree in Social Work. Mate of mine came out on a DIPSWA and had to go to Uni out here to get the equivalent of a degree.

However before I left the UK I seem to recall Social Work was now a degree course but only 3 years, out here it's 4 years.

Once qualified there's a shit load of SW jobs but in the meantime you could get some work doing other stuff.

I'm not mate but close enough

sorry got my wires crossed..

my s/law does kind of a social worker job

Ooops.

Sorry....I knew you did something related.

G