Personal Statement:Ba hons social work

Why do you want to study this course or subject?

In my opinion, my work and educational experience has prepared me well enough to study for a degree in social work. Although social care was a completely new direction for me when I first enrolled at college, I feel as though I am continuing to learn and develop the skills which will assist me in my study- should I be successful in gaining a place on the course. At college, learning how to work as part of a team was vitally important and prepared me for employment in a team setting, which I had not had much previous experience of. As I had mainly been a lone worker in the past, I enjoyed being able to discuss and work things out as part of a team and I found it extremely enjoyable and helpful to have others around.

Adhering to the SSSC Codes of Practice gave me greater insight in to what was expected of me in a professional manner, and I was able to adopt these codes to assist me in working with both tutors and students alike. Respecting other people’s opinions was a large part of this, and communication played a major role during my study. I contact other agencies regularly regarding clients, and I feel an ability to work well with others helps to provide the service user with the best possible outcome.

College also prepared me for multi-disciplinary hearings, and gave me the confidence to attend such meetings. Learning new tools and ways to communicate has enabled me to offer the best possible service to clients within my work, and being an active listener for example has been fundamental in building relationships with others. Social workers duties include being able to protect some of the most vulnerable people in society, and having excellent communication skills is an extremely necessary part of the job. Advocating on behalf of service users who may be less able to speak for themselves requires staff to have the ability to communicate at the highest level.

Working to deadlines has played a large role throughout my working life, and this continued during college. I consider myself to be hugely committed to anything I take on and never had to ask for more time to submit any work. I also had a great attendance rate during college, and this has continued during my employment. I feel that reliability is very important in social work, and I am proud of my attendance rates. I have never been late for work, and I regularly turn up more than half an hour early for my shift.

Being adaptable and having the skills necessary to prioritise and organise my workload helps me to manage my time effectively throughout my working week. These were skills which I was able to develop during college and being taught different ways to cope with busy times or stressful situations equipped me well for work.

Articles discussing poor practice by social workers make the press regularly, and recent cases – including that of Baby P, Victoria Climbie etc. – highlight the fact that social work is an accountable profession and some individuals may be unable to cope with the pressures the job will bring. I have the ability to remain calm in challenging situations, and if I am unsure of anything, I have no problems discussing matters with my colleagues for support, advice or clarification.

During college, I was advised by my tutor that social work has a high ‘burn out’ rate for workers, and this can be a direct result of stressful working situations that the job may bring. In my opinion, my own personal experiences, and college education and work experience have equipped me to be able to cope with the pressures I may encounter whilst studying for a degree in social work.

How have your qualifications and studies helped you to prepare for this course or subject?

Being non-judgmental, understanding, open, approachable, having a good sense of humour and having the ability to empathise with others are qualities which I feel I possess and I think that these are paramount to any type of work in the social care sector. I genuinely feel that I have a very caring nature, and always like to offer help and support to others. During my time at college, I was always willing to offer my assistance to my classmates and – after being voted class rep - was regularly asked for help or advice which I tried my best to give.

My tutor encouraged the class to take an analytical approach when writing essays, and I have continued in this way during my time in employment. I was taught to solve problems in this way and advised to examine things by reading between the lines, before coming to a conclusion. In social work, reflective practice is crucial to the way I work. Having the ability to look back and discuss ways and changes I would possibly make if a similar situation occurred in the future, help me as I strive to offer the greatest service I can.

Supervision and weekly team meetings give staff the chance to look at these things and discuss together what we can do individually and collectively to support the service user. Challenging people’s opinions or poor practice is an important part of my work, and I was advised at college that this may play a part in future employment.

Being able to inform clients of their rights and learning about relevant legislation during my time in college has been an integral part of my day to day work. I still keep up to date with these legislation's, and like to remain aware of any changes to social policy, something which I feel is essential to any future study or employment in social care. The looming welfare reform highlights how things can change quickly in social care, and this is likely to have a huge effect on the job of social workers.

I have attended training on welfare reform and recognise the need for continued professional development within my role as a project worker in any area which may affect the individuals who use the service. Not only do I enjoy the learning, but it means we – as a service – can continue moving forward providing a valuable service.

What else have you done to prepare outside of education, and why are these experiences useful?

Universities applied to:

• Glasgow Caledonian University
• Strathclyde University

How personal statements have changed?

The current personal statement format, with three 'scaffolding' questions, was introduced by Ucas in September 2025. This personal statement was submitted before then, using the old essay-style format. It has been carefully edited into the three-question format, with all of the original wording kept.

Need help with your personal statement? You can ask a question or get feedback from The Student Room community (and our trained personal statement experts) on the personal statement advice forum.