I'm a qualified social worker with five years experience in a learning disabilities team. I moved to Lancashire to live with my partner but have been unable to find work in the area as Lancashire County Council, and seemingly the surrounding boroughs, will only employ social workers with a driving licence. Does anybody know of any resources that show which boroughs will consider employing non-drivers? Thanks in advance
Try Manchester but better still consider becoming a driver. Jobs are so hard to come by and the fact you don't drive leaves you very disadvantaged in the selection process.
...with the driver license requirement for nearly all social work jobs, what hope is there for blind/partially sighted social workers? It's so heartbreaking considering social work's anti-oppressive and anti-discriminatory claim!
The solution to this is to take driving lessons and pass your theory and practical driving tests. You're at a great disadvantage not having this skill and qualification, you're really limiting and restricting yourself. None of this is cheap but think of it as a good long-term investment, helping you in the jobs market (fingers crossed) and earning income.
Hi not a cabbie,
I understand where you're coming from, I have a driving license but cannot afford a car so once I graduate it will be the 'job>car car>job situation!'
Saying that, it is definitely worth investing in lessons because at least then you have the license and it would up your chances of gaining employment. If you still don't have a car you can always say in interviews that you will get one (or perhaps hire one?) in the near future once your wages start coming in.
If you have a train/bus pass you can always state that you have a 'detailed, working knowledge and experience of public transport systems' which you could pass on to Service Users/Clients to enable them to travel independently and confidently (mind you that is blagging it!)
It might be worth looking for jobs in a Duty Team if there are any that are relatively easy to commute to. They don't always ask for a license as some of it is done via phone, email etc... May also be worth signing up to some agencies that take on non-drivers if there are any?
If all else fails would there be any non-social-work related employment that you could enter into that would utilise your skills and experience (and pay well) whilst not requiring a car?
I'm sorry I can't give more specific help as I don't know the area, but I'm sure you'll find something soon.
Good luck!
The answer is clearly to become a car driver or move to a more urban (densely populated area). As mentioned above if you don't you will continue to be vastly disadvantaged when going through a selection process. I've worked in a greater manchester team where most workers didn't use their cars even if they had them as we could walk or hop on a bus to get to our clients as the locality areas are quite small.
As for the comment about disabled people who can't drive... that is an entirely different situation to the one described. Employers have a legal responsibility to make reasonable adjustments for disabled people and funding from Access to Work and the equiv means such people can attend visits using alternative means such as taxis at no cost to themselves. I work with a SW who uses a wheelchair and attends visits in taxis on that basis.
It can be difficult to get a job if not a car driver but as hope2basocialworkersoon says there are other ways. Do you homework and make other suggestions, show that you have a solution to the problem. Cycling, moped, public transport, fell running, diary managment, etc. In some rural areas where you are serving towns miles a part there may be no other way but to show some tenacity will go in your favour.
I am a 3rd year social work student who has just started her final placement. Unfortunately 4 students in my class were asked to defer for a year this year as they had not passed their driving tests. We have all been warned since year 1 to learn to drive or risk this due to the lack of stat placements accepting students without licenses. Placements were not found for those four students and consequently they now have to wait a year before being able to take year 3...providing that by then they have learnt to drive.
I have epilepsy which at present is controlled with medication so I am able to drive, however my medication is affecting my health quite significantly and my doctors frequently recommend I stop taking it. However if I do, I lose my license. I warned the college before starting my second year placement but they told me that if I couldn't drive I would most likely have to defer, even if it is a medical reason why I am unable to drive...which I would have thought protected me from being disadvantaged through the DDA?! Apparently not.
So I feel stuck. My health is being affected long term by the tablets I am on, however if I stop taking them now...I cannot complete my course, however if I complete my course and then stop taking them...I will be disadvantaged further when searching for a job. I sympathise with the students on my course who have had to defer, but at the same time we have had it drummed into us right from the interview stage that you MUST drive....they had a lot of warning. I am not naive, I do know how much it costs and that money was likely the biggest barrier for them learning to drive.
Thanks for the replies and advice everyone. Driving lessons now booked so will hopefully be on the road in the new year.
Very tempted to tell potential employers that I will be fell running to appointments though.
Cheers all.
.
Fell running - heh. I'm quite into the idea of using a bike for my town centre appointments, what with the traffic jams and parking problems. Manager is a bit at the idea though.
On one of my placements one of the social workers used a bicycle however it did have limitations when required to go further afield than the immediate town.