Working in social care means supporting and helping people to improve their lives. Social care provides a whole range of services for people of all ages. Many professionals work in roles that cover both health andsocial care, and they all play such a crucial role in society. As a career, social care can be incredibly fulfilling due to the positive impact you can have on people’s lives. However, like any career, it’s always important to keep moving forward and learn new skills. Read on to find out some of the best ways to grow and develop your career in social care. 

Ask for extra training

In social care roles, one of the best ways to develop your career is by taking on additional training. Continuing professional development is important in social care, as your skills and knowledge need to be up-to-date to provide the best care and support to the people who depend on your service. In such a people-centric industry, it’s important to be able to provide consistent care that’s professional and in line with best practices. Taking extra training courses is also a great way to boost your professional performance and close skill gaps, as well as work towards any long-term career goals and formalised qualifications.

Focus on a discipline

As you gain more experience throughout your career, you’ll have more opportunities to take on new roles that require more speciality and responsibility. Whether that’s care for children, older people or people with disabilities, you’ll be able to establish yourself as an expert when you focus on a specific discipline. This will help when it comes to advancing to more senior roles, such as a senior, team leader or manager. Perhaps the greatest benefit of focusing on a discipline within social care is that it allows you to become a more distinctive professional with more  specialised knowledge.

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Volunteering

If you’re looking to increase your attractiveness for certain roles in social care, volunteering can be an excellent way to add to your current skill set. Whether that’s volunteering to hold workshops or projects for your team, or volunteering outside of the workplace. For example, becoming a charity member is a great way to get involved in a cause you care about while giving you the opportunity to bolster your professional reputation.Volunteering has a range of benefits, including the chance to network and meeting interesting people in your field.

Share your knowledge with others

Becoming a mentor to other social care professionals can be a great way to develop your leadership skills. After substantial experience in the field of work, there’s no reason why you can’t start sharing your knowledge with others. Mentoring others and sharing your experiences working in social care is a great way to show your employer your dedication. As a mentor, you’ll be able to continually reflect on yourself why developing professionally, which could lead to further promotions in the future. 
 

Are you looking to move up the social care ladder?

At Charles Hunter, we specialise in recruitment for the social care industry and we have an excellent team of consultants who have a strong knowledge of the sector. Over the years, we’ve built great relationships with ourclients and candidates. Charles Hunter helps grow careers and assists businesses with their recruitment, providing the best support and consultancy. We have a dedicated and friendly team who are always happy to help new clients and candidates. Contact us today if you would like more information on how we can support you, and keep reading our blog for more interesting content.