Social Work Masters Personal Statement

I always knew that I wished to become involved in social policy. The horrific cases of Baby P and Victoria Climbie showed the importance of excellent social workers and the disastrous consequences that follow from their absence. Reflecting on these cases and my own in-depth academic knowledge of Social Policy, I became convinced that I wish to become a social worker so that I may use my knowledge and skills to help prevent such appalling crimes ever happening again. I wish to take the Masters in Social Work to gain the requisite knowledge and practical experience to fulfil my ambition. I followed my interest in social work and social policy by doing a BSc in Social Work, for which I received a strong 2.1 mark. I excelled in Social Justice and Social Issues and other courses which involved studying how social injustice affects people in their daily lives. My reading and study impressed upon me how at risk and vulnerable many families and disadvantaged minorities are without adequate social care.

I was less interested in theoretical issues that were divorced from the day-to-day reality of ordinary people’s lives, and discovering that my interest was focused on how to practically improve individuals’ lives helped me make up my mind to become a social worker. My degree has given me an in-depth knowledge of recent social policy in the UK, which should be of great use when I come to advise people about their rights and entitlements, while the practical experience of presenting my academic material in seminars and lectures should enable me to communicate clearly and confidently with the people I aim to help.

Since finishing my degree, I have tried to prepare myself for my chosen career by working as an assistant at a children’s hospital, where I am the first point of contact for children and families in my department. I regularly advise and reassure worried parents, a responsibility which has improved immeasurably my ability to form connections and trust with families, which should be very useful when I come to my practical placements on the degree. The hospital has recognised my efforts by offering me the opportunity to work for the family support service, where I shall be able to gain invaluable social work experience working with young people and liaising with colleagues and external agencies in a variety of settings, including home visits, court cases and case conferences.

Outside of work and the classroom, I try to improve my knowledge of the profession and keep up-to-date with developments through reading numerous social work-related publications, including Community Care, from which I have learned a lot about social workers’ every-day work from their own mouths, and the British Association of Care Workers website. Reading about social workers’ daily home visits makes me particularly look forward to shadowing practising social workers and making observation visits.

Apart from the practical placements, I hope to gain further exposure to my chosen profession by volunteering for the university’s student support services. I should like to help counsel students struggling with their studies so that they may resolve personal issues and excel in their degrees. I am also a keen sportsman who enjoys the social aspect as much as the competitive side of sport, and I should like to try out for some of the university’s sports teams and join the clubs when I begin my study.

For, through my extra-curricular activities as much as through the academic work, I hope to develop the personal qualities of a social worker at the same time as I develop the skills and knowledge necessary for my chosen profession. My professional success and academic commitment coupled with my innate empathy for struggling people convince me that I am ready and well prepared for the demands that will be made of me in the course and my career.