Program Overview

Social care refers to the wide-ranging assistance given to adults and children with care and support needs.

The main groups who receive social care include older people, especially those who have become frail or who are living with dementia, people with a learning disability, and people with mental health issues. However, there are also many groups in the community that need social care support such as substance users, people experiencing violence within the family/home, and other community groups who experience inequality, such as women in some BAME communities. Social care services work alongside health, housing and public health services to ensure people’s wider needs are met.

This specialist award in social care is designed for those who want to develop a career within the expanding social care sector. It offers opportunities to study issues in contemporary society such as poverty, domestic violence and abuse, ageing populations, mental health, drug dependency and substance misuse, youth crime, homelessness and social exclusion. You will understand the political landscapes in which social care is delivered and the policy responses.

The teaching is delivered by lecturers passionate about social care. Lecturers have significant experience working with a diverse range of people with differing care and support needs, for example, specialist children services, drug services, older people’s care, probation and criminal justice, mental health, learning disability, adult services, domestic violence and abuse, dementia, and housing.  

Social Care careers are rewarding, vast and diverse. This is because social care is delivered in a mixed economy, with roles for the public, private and voluntary sectors. As a result of long-term trends, the majority of social care services are now provided by the independent sector, which is made up of the voluntary sector and also some for-profit companies.

Social care provider organisations may be commissioned by local authorities to provide care services or organisations may seek their funding to meet a known community need. Social care can be delivered by a range of workers including support workers, therapists, art and creative workers, domestic abuse workers, substance user workers, housing officers and coaches, welfare rights advisers, community outreach workers, prison in-reach workers, educationists, youth and community workers, rehabilitation, and advocates.

We pride ourselves on the strong partnerships we have developed with employers across the region, including local councils, voluntary and independent social care providers. Their specialist practitioners contribute to our teaching programme to enhance your learning experiences.