UK social work

Hello,
I'm just wondering if there are any Canadian social workers currently working in the UK. I am graduating in 2009 and seriously considering taking advantage of some of the opportunities in the UK. Just wondering about average incomes/opportunities/the general experience(mainly whether or not what is advertised on recruitment pages is accurate). Also, I have been in contact with certain agencies and I am curious if anyone has had experience with them (Synergy is one.). So, yeah, any advice would be great!
Thanks,
Karen

I have a friend who works in wimbledon as a social worker, although I'm not sure about the agencies etc she may have used.

However from what she says of the work it's alot like canada really, just different laws and different amounts of red tape to work through. ( on the job ) It's not really better or worse than doing the same job in any other country. just different.

She makes enough money to keep herself comfortable and have disposable income to travel every few months.

Can't really offer more than that, but good luck.

Thanks for your input Do you happen to know how much experience your friend had when they went over?

I'm pretty sure she'd been working for a few years in Winnepeg before moving over. However from what I've been given to understand Social workers are very much in demand at the moment, and I'm not sure that level of experience would be necessary.

Hi Karen,

I also have a friend who is a social worker here (he is French Canadian). He did have quite a lot of experience before he moved here (around 10 years) and from what he told me, they will ask for experience because I don't think employers will be able to get you a work permit if you don't have any work experience. There is a lack of experienced social workers so if you have a few years of experience I am sure it would be quite easy to find a job here.

I think social workers are paid in between £20 - 35 000 depending on experience, more for managers.
I know my friend has to do a lot of overtime because there is not enough social workers and they give him a lot of cases. Also he had to do a special test (don't know the name of it) , I don't know if it is only for people who did not have their qualifications in the UK or for everybody but I know it is a lot of work and difficult to pass (he failed the first time and I think he is doing it again). I know it is based on the work he is doing and on his experience.

good luck
Joanne

hey,
Thanks a lot for the info! I will have experience here in canada. it's just such a big risk to move to whole new country and I want to be sure it's worth while. Then again, the time I have spent in the UK before was terrific and I'd love, love, love the ability to travel to other countries in Europe so easily. oh well, time will tell.
but thanks so much for the feedback!
-K

sorry, another quick question. I've seen that the average seems to be in the higher £20's in terms of salary. Would you say this is an average income in general for people in the UK?

You can find some official statistics on here

According to this, the median (better than the average because the median doesn't count poeple who are totally at the other end of the spectrum, so eliminates millionaires and really poor ) for woman is around £20 000/year, more for mens.

I would say it is quite accurate but you also have to take in consideration the location (people earn more in London because the cost of living is higher than the national average ).

thanks so much!

are there any other sw here working or looking to go to uk?

didn't realize the process to getting gscc registered takes so long!