If you are someone whose motivation is altruism and have strong interpersonal skills, the field of health and social care jobs could be a great fit. A career in this sector enables you to make a tangible difference in the lives of people in your community. The area offers various careers that require different skills, training, and accreditations, but all of them involve supporting others physically, socially, and emotionally. While roles in the healthcare sector center on assisting people with their physical health, social care, in comparison, has more of a focus on helping those who are vulnerable to open up opportunities for them to improve their life quality.
Why consider health and social care jobs?
Social and health care workers are in high demand, and this trend will likely increase in the next few years. High demand often leads to more competitive salaries, with the best earning potential available to those who obtain a Masters of Social Work.
There is also a high level of satisfaction in this sector as you would positively impact the lives of many people in your community. Choose from a wide variety of roles within the industry, too, working in many different environments, including:
- Schools
- Residential care or nursing homes
- Hospitals
- Government
- Prisons
- Military
- Private practice
The careers often offer a lot of autonomy, flexibility, and independence. You can also enjoy many opportunities to collaborate with other professionals.
There is some overlap between careers in social and health care, and the personal attributes and professional skills that are necessary are very similar. If pursuing a career in the social and/or health care sector interests you, this guide will help you to explore the main career paths.
7 health and social care jobs
Among the most common choices are:
1. Social worker
This is one of the most popular career choices in the field. Social workers support individuals and families in their communities to improve their quality of life in various ways. They work with people of all ages, from newborn babies to older people, to access services and find the support they need to lead healthy, fulfilling lives free from abuse or harm.
Social work can be a challenging profession. Why? It often involves working with people in difficult living situations and helping them overcome challenges to improve their life.
They need to develop a strong understanding of the people they work with and address complex issues with problem-solving skills. A degree in social work is usually required to become a social worker.
2. Health visitor
A health visitor is usually a nurse or midwife who has completed additional training to be able to go out into the local area to provide both individuals and families with health advice. Health visitors must have excellent active listening and communication skills to be able to do the following things well:
- Assess the needs of the people they work with
- Cope with a wide range of emotional and physical needs
- Work effectively with other health professionals
By providing health advice, these people help those around them to live healthy lifestyles and prevent illness as much as possible. The days can be very rewarding as you see your work’s positive effects on others.
3. Occupational therapist
An occupational therapist supports people in the community with health issues that prevent them from participating in specific activities. It could be that your job is helping people to live independently and complete everyday tasks by adapting their living environment. One aspect of that could be assisting them in improving their physical mobility, such as learning to walk again or regaining strength in a certain bodily area, helping them gain independence.
Occupational therapists should be adept at problem-solving and collaborating with other professionals in health and social care jobs to reach the best solution for their patients. An occupational therapist requires a degree in occupational therapy and should be licensed to practice in their region.
4. Care worker
A care worker visits people at home or in a residential facility to provide practical care, enabling them to live independently. It could be physically supporting them to wash or dress or by preparing their meals, and administering medication.
Care workers may work with people who have:
- Physical impairments
- Learning disabilities
- Mental health issues
- Substance misuse
- Older people
This role is both physically and emotionally demanding. It also requires you to have excellent time management skills and interpersonal skills to relate with the person(s) you care for.
While formal qualifications are not necessarily a must to become a care worker, many employers expect high school graduation and some volunteer experience in the sector. In some areas, you can also complete an apprenticeship. With the help of social care consultancy services, you may choose to run a health or social care service in the next phase of your career.
More health and social care jobs:
5. Rehabilitation support worker
Rehabilitation support workers dedicate their careers to supporting people who are recovering after any of the following:
- Illness
- Addiction
- Mental health issues
- Accident
They may also support people with sight or hearing loss or learning disabilities. Rehab workers enable these people to live more independently.
To excel in this position requires strong communication skills, as well as a compassionate and patient nature. It can be a stressful and demanding role, which often requires working under pressure.
Formal qualifications are not always necessary to begin this career, although there are college courses that will help you gain a good understanding of the sector. Knowing what to expect as you enter the job field can help you advance more smoothly than you might otherwise.
6. Counselor
Counseling includes a broad category of careers, but essentially counselors help people who are going through difficult times and emotional challenges. Exactly what this looks like can vary widely, including helping people with:
- An ongoing mental health condition, such as depression or anxiety
- Coming to terms with a physical disability
- Recovering from a traumatic event in their lives, such as bereavement
A counselor works with people through various therapies to help them process their emotions and develop healthier coping mechanisms than they had before the sessions together. For example, this could include talking therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, or experiential therapy. Group therapy is another option.
By helping people make changes in their lives, a counselor can play a pivotal role in improving clients’ emotional and mental well-being. Counselors must have exceptional listening skills and complete several training stages to have a career of this nature.
7. Health psychologist
A health psychologist works with people to improve their understanding of health issues. This professional helps equip folks with the knowledge they need to develop positive habits in their lifestyle and attitude towards health.
The techniques can vary, including encouraging clients to reduce their alcohol intake, take up exercise, or eat a more nutritionally balanced diet.
Health psychologists can work in numerous settings, from schools to hospitals and local government organizations. In terms of education, health psychologists must have a master’s degree in health psychology and several other qualifications.
Strong problem-solving, research, and critical thinking skills are assets in this career. If you find these qualities come naturally to you, becoming a health psychologist might be a great career fit!
Do health and social care jobs interest you? Why or why not? Share your opinions in the comments section below!