All social care jobs have several important things in common.

They all involve helping people live their lives. People who have physical or psychological problems often require practical help coping with the everyday business of living. Social care workers provide this practical support. It is this which leads to a sense of job satisfaction which is unique to social care.

The work also offers a level of flexibility that means it can fit in around your other commitments. There are many part-time jobs, as well as full-time work, and many positions are outside the typical 9-5.

Your attitude and life experiences are often more important than formal qualifications in social care work, as you will be given the support you need when you start and further on-the-job training as you become more experienced.

A new role in social care is that of the personal assistant. They work on a one-to-one basis with a person to provide whatever support they need. Helping people to gain control of their own lives is the key to helping them live independently. There is a wide variety of roles available under the title of personal assistant, as duties will depend on the care plan of the individual being cared for.

If you do decide social care is for you, you need to think about who you want to work with and where you want to work. Broadly speaking, you can choose to work with:

• older people
• people with physical disabilities
• people with mental health problems
• people with a learning disability
• children and families
• young people

The page about job variety describes these different types of job in more detail.