Social Work or Social Care

Hi, can anyone help with any info, I am doing level 3 but I don't know what to do after, my tutor wants me to train as an assessor but one of the trainee assessors (also a childminder) who has 2 candidates in my class said the money isn't that good, apparently it takes the other trainee assessor half to almost the whole day to assess her candidates in their setting including travelling time and works out to roughly just under £5 per hour!
I'm also very interested in child protection and have been on loads of courses for this, spoke to the guy training at the last course I went on and he said it would be ideal to study for as I'd be 44ish(!) when I'd qualify which is the age they would prefer due to life experience etc etc but it's a 3 year degree course to qualify as a social worker and I don't know if I want to take on another long term course. Does anyone know anything about social care? Would the level 3 go toward the qualification as it is also an NVQ and what position would the qualification help me to obtain? I've looked it up but I think I'm researched out! Thanks in advance!

[Ruthierhyme]

Hiya,

The forums over at community Care are pretty straight talking, possibly a good place to start for more information?

I'm sure assessing will become easier and much quicker once all the routines & procedures are better known.

Have you searched for jobs online to see what the payscales are for both areas and maybe how they vary across the country ?

xx

Hi,
Thanks for replying! Haven't checked out payscales although the training guy I spoke to said that once qualified as a social worker the pay is 28k in the next council borough to me and they're crying out for people my age.
Was looking forward to being an assessor as I truly love the logging in and cross reference bits! (sad innit!)
At the moment I volunteer in year 1 at a primary school, due to a back operation that damaged my hip 4 years ago I can't work til I've sorted that out so I decided to do a bit of studying while I wait. I don't think the assessing job is full time tho and for that money I'd rather do another job that involves children somehow.
I will check out the forums you said and thanks once again!