What Is Social Care And How Does It Work?

The effective functioning of numerous bodies builds a healthy and purposeful society. One such organization working towards the betterment of the community is social care. Social care is all about providing vulnerable individuals the required help and support. This assistance could be in the form of counseling and advice. Even physical support, such as in the case of bodily disabilities, are some examples of it. Social work involves supporting individuals who are in need but cannot sufficiently afford to get help privately. It aims towards achieving mentally and physically sufficient individuals who go on to become wholesome parts of a community.

Here we will give you a brief overview of what social care is, and how the framework for social care works.

What is Social Care?

Social care is the provision of help, support, and counseling to individuals who are in need. Social care looks towards addressing a range of issues that such individuals may suffer from. When it comes to children, social responsibility can involve protecting children from potentially harmful conditions, placing them in foster or residential care when needed, or working with disabled children. In adults, social responsibility may involve working with disabled, older age people who need help with home chores or physical assistance in daily activities or medical home assistance.

The social care framework forms an integral part of an adequately functional society and is essential for an overall healthy community. That is why government bodies take it upon themselves to provide social care programs and benefits to their people.

What do Social Care Workers do?

Social care workers are individuals well-equipped with the skills needed to handle vulnerable people suffering from various issues. These issues can vary hugely in nature, which is why many institutes offer social work diplomas and degrees to equip people with the necessary abilities to handle the job correctly. Since these individuals suffer from traumatic or problematic experiences, it is quite essential to have sound knowledge of how to interact with them.

If one wants to pursue social care as a vocation, they will have to develop the required competence by joining some social care diploma, course, or degree. There are various such on-campus or online masters social work degrees that institutions offer. You can always get yourself enrolled and become a social care worker.

Once you become a social care worker, you will understand that social work can fall into several different lines. These can generally be divided as:

• Nursing Care: Often, individuals who have a disability or a disease that cripples their ability to function alone will need a nurse to assist them. The nurse could either be present at a facility or provide at-home care to the specific person.
• Therapy: Occupational, physical, or speech therapy also comes under social care. It is when a person needs re-learning certain necessary activities such as bathing, dressing, etc., after an illness or an accident. Social care workers will help such individuals cope with developmental, emotional, or physical disabilities.

It may also include counseling the victim to overcome any of the mental or emotional traumas that they may experience after incidents.

• Homemaking Care: A nurse may physically and medically assist such an individual at home. However, there will still be chores that will need attending, such as meal cooking, laundry, etc. A homemaking assistant involves carrying out these tasks for individuals who are not in a condition to carry out for themselves.
• Providing Company: People who live alone may suffer from increased symptoms of any existing illness or disease. Companionship is essential for a healthy mind and body, which is why social care includes the provision of fellowship. Social care workers may also offer company to the patients and additionally may also perform household activities.
• Meals-on-Wheels: A generic term used to define home-delivered meals for patients who stay at home. Often communities provide this service to individuals who are unable to cook for themselves because of illnesses or disabilities.

Who provides Social Care?

The primary responsibility of the provision of community care services falls with the local government. They would allocate budgets and introduce programs to work towards addressing social issues. Often individuals who need care services are ones that cannot afford them. In such cases, it is necessary that the funds come from other sources, and it is usually the government that funds them. The social care framework includes the services of volunteers as well. They are individuals who provide community services without getting paid. The local community also pitches in to provide care services to people demanding them in their area.

Conclusion:

A society comprises different people from massively varying backgrounds. Some people tend to make a better life for themselves than others. Other individuals may also suffer from unfortunate circumstances beyond human control, such as disabilities, life-altering diseases, etc. These individuals require external care since they are not in a position to fend for themselves. Social care jumps in and steers their lives to become sufficient individuals who can lead a satisfying experience. Social responsibility is fundamental for the proper functioning of a society and needs careful planning and provision.