Social Care Practice in Athlone IT

nuvene

If I study Social Care Practice in Athlone IT. What carer opportunities could I have after this? I checked the website and that but it all seems unclear and doesnt say speciallfically what jobs you can get out of it and whether you need more study to become some carers etc.

Duckie88

Hi
I graduated in 2010 from AIT with the BA in Social Care Practice. Found it to be very broad and interesting, but in hindsight too vague to base a career on without postgrad study.
It's very focused on residential childcare, so if you do the majority of your placements within a residential setting (and if this is what you want to do) you will be on track for a career in residential.
The degree will give you introductions to the following, but will not give you the right qualifications to deliver disability services, creche/childcare, housing and homeless services, and addiction or mental health services. Again it's too vague, and not practical enough. You won't get Therapeutic Crisis Intervention training, First Aid training, or report-writing skills. A lot of it is just theory and waffle.
Disability services and childcare services will look for a Fetac Level 5 or 6 Care qualification. I couldn't retain work in an after-school project/creche this summer, because my qualifications were deemed unsuitable by the Department of Children and Youth Affairs. They wanted a solid Fetac level 6 in Childcare, rather than a vague Social Care level 8 degree.
You will need further training and study to branch into Social Work or Community Services. Take it slowly, you don't need a qualification to volunteer with local groups in your community, and a business or IT degree will stand to you better in the long run - you will have solid skills.