Most commonly reported Work Activities

• Assisting and Caring for Others Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
• Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
• Getting Information Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
• Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
• Documenting/Recording Information Entering, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
• Communicating with Persons Outside Organisation Communicating with people outside the organisation, representing the organisation to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
• Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.
• Making Decisions and Solving Problems Analysing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
• Organising, Planning, and Prioritising Work Developing specific goals and plans to prioritise, organise, and accomplish your work.
• Performing for or Working Directly with the Public Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.

The Work

Social care workers plan and provide professional individual or group care to clients with personal and social needs. Client groups are varied and include children and adolescents in residential care; young people in detention schools; people with intellectual or physical disabilities; people who are homeless; people with alcohol/drug dependency; families in the community; or older people.

Social care workers strive to support, protect, guide and advocate on behalf of clients. Social care work is based on interpersonal relationships which require empathy, strong communication skills, self awareness and an ability to use critical reflection. Teamwork and interdisciplinary work are also important in social care practice.

The core principles underpinning social care work are similar to those of other helping professions, and they include respect for the dignity of clients; social justice; and empowerment of clients to achieve their full potential. Social care practice differs from social work practice in that it uses shared life-space opportunities to meet the physical, social and emotional needs of clients. Social care work uses strengths-based, needs-led approaches to mediate clients’ presenting problems.

Social care workers are trained, inter alia, in life span development, parenting, attachment & loss, interpersonal communication and behaviour management. Their training equips them to optimise the personal and social development of those with whom they work. In Ireland, the recognised qualification is a 3-year Level 7 degree. In Europe, social care work is usually referred to as social pedagogy and social care workers as social pedagogues.

Most commonly reported Work Tasks

• Advocate for clients or patients to resolve crises.
• Educate clients about end-of-life symptoms and options to assist them in making informed decisions.
• Collaborate with other professionals to evaluate patients' medical or physical condition and to assess client needs.
• Refer patient, client, or family to community resources to assist in recovery from mental or physical illness and to provide access to services such as financial assistance, legal aid, housing, job placement or education.
• Utilise consultation data and social work experience to plan and coordinate client or patient care and rehabilitation, following through to ensure service efficacy.
• Monitor, evaluate, and record client progress according to measurable goals described in treatment and care plan.
• Identify environmental impediments to client or patient progress through interviews and review of patient records.
• Counsel clients and patients in individual and group sessions to help them overcome dependencies, recover from illness, and adjust to life.
• Plan discharge from care facility to home or other care facility.
• Organise support groups or counsel family members to assist them in understanding, dealing with, and supporting the client or patient.

Further Information

• Social Care Worker - Residential & Community - from: N.C.S. [UK]

This occupation is typically suited for people with the following Career Interests:

Social

The Social person's interests focus on interacting with the people in their environment. In all cases, the Social person enjoys the personal contact with other people in preference to the impersonal dealings with things, data and ideas found in other groups.

Many will seek out positions where there is direct contact with the public in some advisory role, whether a receptionist or a counsellor. Social people are motivated by an interest in different types of people and like diversity in their work environments. Many are drawn towards careers in the caring professions and social welfare area, whilst others prefer teaching and other 'informing' roles.

Investigative

The Investigative person will usually find a particular area of science to be of interest. They are inclined toward intellectual and analytical activities and enjoy observation and theory. They may prefer thought to action, and enjoy the challenge of solving problems with sophiscticated technology. These types prefer mentally stimulating environments and often pay close attention to developments in their chosen field.

Today, health and social care is understood to be of paramount importance in every country and these professionals play a vital and important role in society. 

CORU regulates health and social care education and training programmes in Ireland

One of the functions of the Registration Boards at CORU is to approve and monitor education and training programmes. The purpose of regulating education and training programmes is to ensure that all graduates entering the Register meet the necessary standards and have the knowledge and skills required for public protection. This ensures the delivery of safe and effective practise to the benefit of the service user.

What does this mean when selecting a course to study in Ireland?

This is the current list of Approved Qualifications to work as a Social care worker.  If you achieve one of these qualifications, you are eligible to apply for CORU registration.

What about studying abroad, and practising in Ireland once qualified?

If your professional qualification is awarded outside of Ireland and you want to register and work in Ireland, the process is a little more complex. You must first apply to have that qualification “recognised” by the Registration Board for your profession.

This ensures that everyone providing health and social care services in Ireland meets the standards of proficiency for safe practise in Ireland. 

To be eligible to apply for recognition of your international qualification, you must have completed professional training, which gives you eligibility to practise your profession in the country where you were awarded the qualification.

The Registration Board will assess your qualification as well as any other relevant qualifications and work experience for compliance with the standards required for practising in Ireland.

If you are unsure about health and social care regulation, CORU is happy to help with any questions. You can contact CORU at [email protected]

Training & Development Pathways

FET Centre Traineeship: Social care & Youthwork NFQ level 5 Search our FET Coursefinder.

FET Centre PLC Courses: Community & Social Care, Health and Social Care - Applied, Social & Community Care, Social Care, Social Care With Counselling Skills, Social Care with Psychology, Social Studies/Social Care, Community Care - Social Studies NFQ levels 5-6 Search our FET PLC coursefinder.

Conversion Programmes - People currently employed in the social care sector holding any of the previously accepted qualifications, and job seekers who have more recently completed some of the associated qualifications who are interested in entering the social care sector or continuing their careers in the sector, may now find that they are restricted by the requirement to possess a specific social care qualification.

A number of one year “conversion” programmes offering the opportunity to obtain a qualification in Applied Social Studies in Social Care are available. These are designed for jobseekers that already possess experience and/or similar qualifications in the social care field and wish to further develop their career in this chosen speciality. A B.A. in Social Care is now required for entry as a Social Care Worker. Supervised Work Placement is a crucial element of training. 

Higher Education CAO:  Applied Social Care, Applied Social Studies - Professional Social Care, Health and Social Care, Social Care, Social Care Practice, Social Care Work programmes at NFQ Level 6-8 Search our CAO coursefinder.

Professional Development 

Postgraduate Study Options Child & Social Care - Leadership in Therapeutic Child & Social Care, Health & Social Care - Advancing Health & Social Care, Social Care & Social Justice, Quality & Safety in Healthcare / Social Care, Social Care Management NFQ level 9.

Last Updated: January, 2024

Salary Range (thousands per year)* €33k - €72k

Salaries vary by employer state or private, location, experience, role, shift pattern, and duties.  

Data Source(s):
HSE/ Indeed/ Payscale/ Glassdoor/ Excel

Last Updated: July, 2024

* The lower figures typically reflect starting salaries. Higher salaries are awarded to those with greater experience and responsibility. Positions in Dublin sometimes command higher salaries.

View Salary information from Indeed.ie
Note: data not aways available

This occupation has been identified as a Job in Demand by the most recent National Skills Bulletin.

This information has been derived from the Solas National Skills Bulletin (2023).

Employment growth for this occupation was slightly below average, with employment declining slightly between 2021 and 2022. The share of non-Irish citizens at 29% is higher than the national average. A small number of new employment permits were issued in 2022 for social workers. Approximately 1,300 awards were made in 2021 at level 8 or higher in the broad social work field.

A report in 2022 by the Irish Association of Social Workers identified retention of social workers to be a key issue, particularly in areas of child protection and adult safeguarding. Despite issues with recruitment and retention of suitably qualified social workers remaining, the data does not currently point to a shortage.

• Public Appointments Service

  • Chapter House, 26/30 Abbey Street Upper, Dublin 1, D01 C7W6
  • (01) 858 7400 or Local: 1890 44 9999
  • [email protected]
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• Irish Association of Social Care Workers

  • (0)1 677 4838
  • [email protected]
  • Click Here

• Health Service Executive (HSE)

  • Dr Steevens' Hospital, Steevens Lane, Dublin, 8
  • 041 685 0300
  • Click Here

• CORU - Regulating Health & Social Care Professionals

  • Infinity Building, George’s Court, George’s Lane, Smithfield, Dublin 7, D07 E98Y
  • (01) 293 3160
  • [email protected]/ [email protected]/ [email protected]
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• Social Care Ireland

  • Office BR105, Bradogue House, DIT, Grangegorman, Dublin, 7
  • (087) 7463926
  • [email protected]
  • Click Here