Wellers and Whitehead Posted March 31, 2011 Share Posted March 31, 2011 I am a uk social worker with 3 years exp, 1 of that in child protection. At the mo we are awaiting to hear back from vic re ss, applied 21 weeks ago! Sick of waiting! I see that ppl have got a employer sponsorship in a week!! I've asked if reed ( employment agency) would sponsor me but said no as don't drive! Can't drive due to my epilepsy! Does anybody know if 'oz' sponsor non drivers?? Don't think so but thought I'd ask! How much is a social worker on with over 3 years exp?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quoll Posted March 31, 2011 Share Posted March 31, 2011 I would think the driving would be a deal breaker actually. The SWs here virtually live in their cars from what I can gather and ACT is a comparatively small jurisdiction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wellers and Whitehead Posted March 31, 2011 Author Share Posted March 31, 2011 I hope I can maybe get a job in a hospital or similar environment basically one where I don't have to travel too far but not sure how many of those jobs are around?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Petals Posted March 31, 2011 Share Posted March 31, 2011 Learn to drive, really to live in Aus without a licence is dire. Everyone gets their learners permit as soon as they are of age. As has been said Social Work and car go together. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joebloggs Posted March 31, 2011 Share Posted March 31, 2011 Learn to drive, really to live in Aus without a licence is dire. Everyone gets their learners permit as soon as they are of age. As has been said Social Work and car go together. OP cant legally drive due to epilepsy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_shel Posted April 1, 2011 Share Posted April 1, 2011 OP cant legally drive due to epilepsy. Not necessarliy true, I have epilepsy and can drive legally. Driving laws & epilepsy are more relaxed in Aus too, in the waiting times until you can drive are shorter. But as a social worker about to move to Aus I've looked into this and there is no way you'll get a social work job if you cant drive and unlike the UK they dont have to offer you the job anyway under DDA. Have you been to Australia? It's pretty much impossible unless you were working solely in the CBD to work as a social worker without a car. Public transport is not like it is the UK and almost non exisitent in some places. Then there are the many clients who live out in rural locations even though your office may be based in a big town/city. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Bobby Posted April 1, 2011 Share Posted April 1, 2011 A lot of social work in Oz is voluntary, but someone with higher skills has to run them I expect, as others have said you NEED to drive in Oz to be honest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joebloggs Posted April 1, 2011 Share Posted April 1, 2011 Not necessarliy true. I think in the case of the OP it must be true at least in the UK anyway, he/she thanked me for my post. Rules might be more relaxed in Australia (or not) but since you don't know the severity of the OP condition you cant judge whether he/she would be comfortable driving. Only they can make that call. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Bobby Posted April 1, 2011 Share Posted April 1, 2011 Patients must be seizure-free for 3–6 months for recently-diagnosed seizures, and for two years for chronic epilepsy[7][8]. Exact laws vary by territory[9]. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest siamsusie Posted April 1, 2011 Share Posted April 1, 2011 I would imagine that there would be a good few posts in Victoria which are hospital based. Community Jobs | Not-For-Profit Jobs | Government Jobs - Jobseeker.org.au Hospital Social Worker - Part Time Jobs, Work Part Time, Job Search, Work From Home, Mums Return to Work, Part Time Employment http://www.mh.org.au/royal_melbourne_hospital/social-work/w1/i1001390/ Being a non driver would not deter me if I were you, it could be more challenging. Good luck to you, I am sure you find something very suitable. Susie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Petals Posted April 1, 2011 Share Posted April 1, 2011 My daughter drives, because she had one seizure caused by a brain tumour and had surgery she is now considered epileptic and on medication for life. She could not drive for six months after the operation and she has to provide a form to Vic Roads every year from her doctor to say that she has been seizure free. I worked with a young lass who was epileptic and she drove a car. As long as epilepsy is controlled they can drive. The clinical social working positions probably are much harder to come by as a lot of applicants in the good areas i e the city. The shortage for social work seems to be in the outlying areas and Gippsland comes to mind in Victoria. Therefore a car would be essential. In fact they use government cars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madgen Posted April 1, 2011 Share Posted April 1, 2011 Do yourself a favour..... don't bother with child protection social work in Australia per se!! It's dire Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Revs30 Posted April 1, 2011 Share Posted April 1, 2011 Do yourself a favour..... don't bother with child protection social work in Australia per se!! It's dire Why have you said that and what experience do you have with it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madgen Posted April 1, 2011 Share Posted April 1, 2011 just got back from practicing SW in Oz. probably functioning some 20 years behind the UK and the salary is awful. each to their own but I know where I feel safer and more valued as a qualified worker. I'm just advising you to do your homework thoroughly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wellers and Whitehead Posted April 1, 2011 Author Share Posted April 1, 2011 A lot of social work in Oz is voluntary, but someone with higher skills has to run them I expect, as others have said you NEED to drive in Oz to be honest. I'm presuming u mean lots of social workers work for non profit organisations.. Not that they work for free as it sounds as I don't know any social worker that would work for free! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wellers and Whitehead Posted April 1, 2011 Author Share Posted April 1, 2011 Are you a social worker? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madgen Posted April 1, 2011 Share Posted April 1, 2011 Is this question for me? If so, then yes, I am a qualified social worker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wellers and Whitehead Posted April 1, 2011 Author Share Posted April 1, 2011 Is this question for me? If so, then yes, I am a qualified social worker Sorry it wasn't for u but why do u say is behind the times..how? The wage I thought is similar to that of uk! What wage were u on to say it's dire? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madgen Posted April 1, 2011 Share Posted April 1, 2011 I went to Oz in the hope of progressing, instead all it offered was regression! Be careful, the step backwards is significant and the micro management style is an insult. Whatever gross salary they offer you, don't forget to divide it by 2.2 to give you an accurate cost of living formula, I think you will find it's substantially lower than the UK salary (but they don't tell you this!). Also bear in mind Oz is very expensive! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ali Posted April 1, 2011 Share Posted April 1, 2011 Despite being hospital based you may still need to be able to drive, you may be expected to transport patients as part of your duties, attend off site meeting, go and collect things for patients from their home if no relatives. I know that for the social work jobs were I work, a driving licence is one of the selection criteria. With regard to epilepsy, Joanne is able to continue driving because she has been seizure free for a number of years. Having epilespsy per se doesn't ban you from driving, it's if you're still having seizures or not been seizure free for the required amount of time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quoll Posted April 1, 2011 Share Posted April 1, 2011 just got back from practicing SW in Oz. probably functioning some 20 years behind the UK and the salary is awful. each to their own but I know where I feel safer and more valued as a qualified worker. I'm just advising you to do your homework thoroughly I didnt realize you had bailed on Aus! Hope you and your family have managed to re-establish yourselves in UK. Good luck!!! I recently got a sms from someone who had been working as a SW here and cited the bullying and SW practice which violated all her social work values as the reason for her moving on. It doesnt sound like a brilliant option from her report. As for being a SW in a non C&P environment which didnt require a car - I suppose there may be some nice urban hospital jobs but wouldnt imagine that there is any shortage. The thing is that if it is a nice place, then loads of people want to live and work there!!! If the OP were an Aus citizen then the DDA would definitely apply but in terms of getting sponsorship for a temporary residence then employers can be as picky as they like Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wellers and Whitehead Posted April 2, 2011 Author Share Posted April 2, 2011 I didnt realize you had bailed on Aus! Hope you and your family have managed to re-establish yourselves in UK. Good luck!!! I recently got a sms from someone who had been working as a SW here and cited the bullying and SW practice which violated all her social work values as the reason for her moving on. It doesnt sound like a brilliant option from her report. As for being a SW in a non C&P environment which didnt require a car - I suppose there may be some nice urban hospital jobs but wouldnt imagine that there is any shortage. The thing is that if it is a nice place, then loads of people want to live and work there!!! If the OP were an Aus citizen then the DDA would definitely apply but in terms of getting sponsorship for a temporary residence then employers can be as picky as they like thanks for everybodies advice and honesty! Much appreciated x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madgen Posted April 2, 2011 Share Posted April 2, 2011 I didnt realize you had bailed on Aus! Hope you and your family have managed to re-establish yourselves in UK. Good luck!!! I recently got a sms from someone who had been working as a SW here and cited the bullying and SW practice which violated all her social work values as the reason for her moving on. It doesnt sound like a brilliant option from her report. As for being a SW in a non C&P environment which didnt require a car - I suppose there may be some nice urban hospital jobs but wouldnt imagine that there is any shortage. The thing is that if it is a nice place, then loads of people want to live and work there!!! If the OP were an Aus citizen then the DDA would definitely apply but in terms of getting sponsorship for a temporary residence then employers can be as picky as they like In the Uk you have to be registered with the GSCC to work as a social worker, as a profession we also have a code of ethics to which we work, social work in Oz seriously compromises these and for me it was a compromise too far. Racism and discriminatory practice are rife in the workplace and it was with much regret that I chose to leave Oz. The practice is at least 20 yrs behind the UK and the Aussies were too arrogant to even contemplate learning from the experience Uk recruits bring to Australia, their micro management style would be better suited to newly qualifieds. The whole experience has been a very very steep learning curve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wellers and Whitehead Posted April 2, 2011 Author Share Posted April 2, 2011 In the Uk you have to be registered with the GSCC to work as a social worker, as a profession we also have a code of ethics to which we work, social work in Oz seriously compromises these and for me it was a compromise too far. Racism and discriminatory practice are rife in the workplace and it was with much regret that I chose to leave Oz. The practice is at least 20 yrs behind the UK and the Aussies were too arrogant to even contemplate learning from the experience Uk recruits bring to Australia, their micro management style would be better suited to newly qualifieds. The whole experience has been a very very steep learning curve. Why do u think micro management is preferably suited to nqsw's and not those who have experience? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madgen Posted April 2, 2011 Share Posted April 2, 2011 As a NQ worker you don't have the experience to draw from so micro management welcome for some SW's, it's an insult though when you have much more experience than those who are trying to micro manage you and they are too arrogant to even notice! The whole thing is laughable, just paying lip service to child protection! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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