| Role<\/th>\n | Typical setting<\/th>\n | Main focus<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n |
|---|---|---|
| Children and Family Social Worker<\/td>\n | Local authority children's services<\/td>\n | Safeguarding, family support and care planning<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n |
| Adult Social Worker<\/td>\n | Local authority adult care teams<\/td>\n | Care Act assessments and adult safeguarding<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n |
| Mental Health Social Worker<\/td>\n | NHS trusts and local authority teams<\/td>\n | Mental health assessments and care coordination<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n |
| Approved Mental Health Professional<\/td>\n | Mental health services<\/td>\n | Deciding whether compulsory care under the Mental Health Act is needed<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n |
| Hospital Social Worker<\/td>\n | NHS hospitals<\/td>\n | Discharge planning and safe return home<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n |
| Practice Supervisor or Team Manager<\/td>\n | Any social care team<\/td>\n | Supervising practice, decisions and staff support<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table><\/figure>\nCore duties a social worker carries every week<\/h2>\nThe image below sums up the tasks you'll return to most weeks.<\/p>\n Assess needs:<\/strong> identify strengths, wishes and risks.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Plan support:<\/strong> agree care and support plans with clear goals.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Work directly:<\/strong> spend time with people and families.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Coordinate services:<\/strong> work with health, schools, housing and police.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Record clearly:<\/strong> keep case notes that show your reasoning.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Review progress:<\/strong> check what's changing and what isn't.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Advocate:<\/strong> speak up for people who can't easily speak for themselves.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n Monday might start with new referrals and a call to a school about a child. Later, you'd visit a parent at home to talk through a support plan. Tuesday could bring a multi-agency meeting, then time writing up Monday's visit while details are fresh. Duties overlap, so one visit can feed an assessment, a plan and a safeguarding check. If that rhythm sounds right, you're probably looking at the right kind of work.<\/p>\n Safeguarding isn't an optional extra. It's a legal duty. The photo below shows the calm, face-to-face side of work that also carries serious legal weight.<\/p>\n Under sections 42 to 46 of the Care Act 2014<\/strong>, local authorities must make or arrange enquiries where they reasonably suspect an adult is experiencing, or is at risk of, abuse or neglect, as set out in the Care and support statutory guidance<\/a>. Social Workers usually lead or oversee this process.<\/p>\n Screen the referral.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Ask the adult for their views and desired outcome.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Assess how serious and urgent the risk is.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Decide whether a formal section 42 enquiry is needed.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Coordinate partners such as police and health services.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Record decisions and reasons.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Escalate unresolved danger.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n Child protection follows a separate route under section 47 of the Children Act 1989. In adult work, keep the person's voice central and choose the least intrusive safe action. Clear records make each decision defensible.<\/p>\n The video below adds useful context on safeguarding in practice.<\/p>\n |
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