Social Work

Social work is one of the most demanding and important of the helping professions. Social workers support some of the most vulnerable people in society, including children at risk of harm, adults with disabilities or mental health conditions, older people facing isolation or abuse, and families in crisis. The work requires a combination of practical professional skill, genuine empathy, rigorous analytical thinking, and the resilience to navigate complex and sometimes distressing situations while maintaining professional standards and ethical clarity.

At Kent this BA Social Work is designed and taught by practising social workers who bring direct professional experience into the classroom alongside academic rigour. You will study human development across the lifespan, social work theory and methods, law relating to children, families, and adult care, research methods, anti-oppressive practice, and the ethical dimensions of social work in diverse communities. Substantial supervised practice placements are central to the programme and are required by Social Work England, the regulator for the profession.

These placements give you direct experience in statutory, voluntary, and community settings, developing your professional skills and preparing you for qualified practice.

Graduates are eligible to register with Social Work England and to work as qualified social workers across the full range of settings including children's services, adult social care, mental health, criminal justice, and the voluntary sector. Social work offers a career of genuine social purpose and continuous learning. Many graduates develop specialist skills in areas such as child protection, fostering and adoption, substance misuse, or adult safeguarding, and some go on to postgraduate study in social work or related fields.

Leadership roles, advanced practice, and academic social work are also well-established career paths.