Personal Statement:Social work 4 - The Student Room

Why do you want to study this course or subject?

I am a conscientious, responsible, enthusiastic and open minded young lady with fervour to pursue a career in social work. Over the last two years I have been working in a social care field and I feel that undertaking this degree programme will be the next step in my career. I have chosen social care because I get immense satisfaction from helping those in need. I have experience of working in a variety of settings which allowed me to meet and work with a diverse range of service users. In my current role as a Forensic Mental Health Support Worker, I support individuals with mental health disorder who are offenders, people who have been in contact with the Criminal Justice System and who have been transferred to secure hospitals. I work in a 24hr high support residential project, with individuals who experience a variety of mental health disorders. I have gained a lot of insight into the various types of mental illness and how they affect each individual differently and the difficulties they face daily. Due to this insight I have gained, I am able to promote choice and well-being amongst my clients by affecting positive change where possible and empowering them to live an independent life when possible.

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

I am currently undertaking an NVQ 3 in Health and Social care which has enable me to evaluate my working practice by doing evaluations after an activity, participate in supervision with my line manager and clinical supervision in order to enhance my practice. I am learning about various types of legislation and how we work with them and our organisation policies and procedures and the affect they have on service users. As a result I am more aware of my own ethics and philosophy and I am able to respect service user’s values, background, culture and preferences.

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

I support my clients with their daily living skills, I provide emotional support by helping my clients to cope with stressful situations or changes in their lives and liaise with appropriate agencies for them to get the personalise care they require. However, if they are unable to cope without support, I am always willing to support them until they are confident or able to. Clients who are abusing drugs and alcohol are referred to partner agencies that can provide them with the support they need. I have also learnt how to communicate effectively with my clients by being sensitive and taking their communication needs into consideration. The skills and qualities I have gained working in social care includes; being able to adapt and work in challenging and changeable environments, problem solving, the ability to perform against targets, excellent organisational skills and the ability to work under pressure, effectively communicating with service users and their families and representing them at Mulit-Agency Public Protection Arrangement (MAPPA) meetings, Care Programme Approach (CPA) reviews and Ward Round meetings. I have learnt how to work collaboratively within a team and know the importance of working with partner. I have develop the ability to be alert and sensitive being aware of what’s going on around me, knowing how to respond and using my senses to perceive others attitudes and emotions. Due to the variety of client groups that I have worked with and the complexity of their needs, I have to be dependable, patient, use discretion and be tolerant. I am also very interested in doing placements as I will get the opportunity to build on my knowledge, gain experience and insight about being a social worker. I am a hard working, willing student who is motivated by challenges and enjoy embracing new experiences. I feel that a degree in social work will be a good basis for a successful career in social work. After completion of my degree, I hope to specialise in a mental health setting.

Universities applied to:

• Goldsmiths (BA Social Work)
• UEL
• South Bank
• Greenwich
• London Metropolitan (BA Social Work)

Grades achieved:

• Unknown

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.

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