marcc Posted January 6, 2013 Report Share Posted January 6, 2013 Hi All, thanks for your time as this is my first post on the site. we visited Perth around six years ago and have friends in Heathridge, north Perth. We absolutely loved the place... we have three children, 13, 7 and 7 (twins) all girls!!!!!! and want to make the move before the eldest gets to settled with friends and BOYFRIENDS. Currently I work as a support worker in a residential setting supporting young adults with autism and learning disabilities, very rewarding job to. I have been looking at positions on offer with various organisations and some of the roles mirror what i do at the moment. I have sent emails to a few but not had any reply,yet. The problem is that I have been working in the job for around 7 months and I am currently studying for my level 3 diploma in Health and Social Care. I was wandering if anybody knew how much experience these jobs require and if the qualifications in the UK are feasible in Australia?? The other thing is, my partner and I have been foster carers for our local authority for three years, she is currently studying her level 3 diploma in the children's and young peoples workforce which will hopefully help towards a position working with in the social work sector, but not sure what sort of jobs would be suitable for her over in Aus. She is also a qualified hairdresser but as she is not working in the profession we cant use it for the visa process!! Any advice is very much appreciated, thanks for reading.. Marc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sami Posted February 18, 2014 Report Share Posted February 18, 2014 Hi, I've have a little advice, if you or your partner are looking to get a skilled visa for social work you need to have a degree in social work and it needs to be assessed to determine if it matches the Australian curriculum enough. Is it a skilled visa you will be looking to go for or a different one? There appears to be many jobs in support work however I don't know myself how transferable your qualifications are as I am just dealing with social work. Sam Just noticed you posted a year ago so don't know whether this will help! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marcc Posted February 20, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 20, 2014 Hi Sami, At last a reply!!! as you say its been a year......was thinking that nobody fancies the idea of going over to work in the sector?? Great to hear from you, thanks. Well since last year.... I now work in a specialist support school as a teaching assistant, working with children 8-11 years old with social, emotional and behavioral difficulties. Bit of a change but still rewarding. Its great cause it fits in great with the kids now, as i was working around 70/80 hours a week last year and any days out of the seven. Mon-Fri now and that's me....the way it should be. Anyway, on the visa issue.... any visa will do for me!!, my partner has now completed her level three diploma and is now working in a nursery for two year olds. I am trying to finish my diploma as we speak (half term hols!!). I have until April to finish but should complete in the next month, hopefully. From your advice we are still going to struggle to get a visa application started as we are not qualified to degree level!! nightmare for us, not sure if we will ever get the chance? i'm 36 and my partner 34 (we do have until 45). Its so hard to work, study and be a parent to three, there's not enough time in the day!!! I am looking to stay in education and will look at different pathways once I've completed my diploma. I believe the diploma is a good qualification to have and can be used towards a degree qualification as some credits of it count towards the degree courses?? Only if the UK was as choosy who they let in, It might be a far better run place for all?? Just wandering are you a Social Worker? and are you now in Australia? Thanks for the reply Sami, I will keep hoping and looking for anyways in which we could have the opportunity to have a go at it!! Cheers Marc Hi, I've have a little advice, if you or your partner are looking to get a skilled visa for social work you need to have a degree in social work and it needs to be assessed to determine if it matches the Australian curriculum enough. Is it a skilled visa you will be looking to go for or a different one? There appears to be many jobs in support work however I don't know myself how transferable your qualifications are as I am just dealing with social work. Sam Just noticed you posted a year ago so don't know whether this will help! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sami Posted February 20, 2014 Report Share Posted February 20, 2014 Hi Marc, Your new work sounds a lot better, more suitable to family life! You and your partner seems to have skills that Australia are looking for but on the visa front I am not entirely knowledgeable about other ones as I am hoping to get a 189 I've done a lot of research into that one specifically. I suggest you contact a migration agent, I spoke to Go Matilda and they were really helpful and gave me advice in a free consultation which has pointed me in the right direction for the future. I am currently completing my Social Work degree (finish May), I know the difficulties of studying and having children as I have two myself, 6 & 4. Once I complete my degree I need to get three years experience and then I can apply for the 189 visa, it also allows my husband time to do get some extra qualifications and give us a better chance at getting work when we get out there. Oh and we can save money as were going to need it! What sort of degree are you looking at doing? Your never to late to start and with your experience and quals already I would be surprised if you didn't get accepted on a course. The social work degree is pretty full on, you have to do 170 days working as a social worker unpaid, as well as the academic work (I had to do 200 days but they've shortened it now!) but it is really rewarding and interesting. Hope I've helped anyway any questions feel free to ask! Sam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lisa888 Posted March 16, 2014 Report Share Posted March 16, 2014 Hi Marc, Not sure if I have already sent a reply to you !? Having problems with this site : / ! Are you still looking for info re:social work here ? I am working as a social worker in Perth - been in WA nearly 3 years. Happy to help if I can. Lisa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marcc Posted March 17, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 17, 2014 Hi lisa, Thanks for the reply! Yeah if you have any advice about if any of the visas are available for myself or my partner? Not sure if you have read the previous threads and got a picture of where we are upto? I'm not convinced that we stand a chance of even starting the ball rolling as we are not qualified at degree level, but if your already working in the sector maybe you are in touch with the types of jobs that are in demand and if we would fit into the categories? I work with challenging youngsters in a behavioural unit in a specialist support school and my partner is working in a two year olds nursery. We are also foster carers for our local authority(4 years),but this doesn't count for anything unfortunately!!! Maybe you know of people in similar roles in WA and could find any info from them? That would be great....... Personally I think we are going to need some more years of experience and become more senior in our roles/qualifications and may then have a chance? Any advice is much appreciated. Thanks again for your time, I know you will have enough on your plate as we are used to working with social workers and know the work load you guys have (especially over here)........ regards Marc and family (lisa, Sophia, Rosie and Megan) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moss2oz Posted March 17, 2014 Report Share Posted March 17, 2014 Hi there just thought I'd throw my comments into the pot. Marcc you are right you will need a degree but have faith. I've been wanting to go to Perth for nearly 18 years! And finally, after getting the degree and three years work experience under my belt I am now impatiently waiting to hear if my visa is granted! I applied for 190 state sponsored visa as I needed the extra points. I'm 42 so you've got plenty of time yet! Never give up hope. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doris Posted March 17, 2014 Report Share Posted March 17, 2014 Hey there Moss2oz, Marcc and lisa888, I'm pretty new to this site and stumbled across this post. I am in the same position as you moss2oz, 190 visa is lodged and I am a social worker hoping to be over in Perth later this year. Lisa888 how have you found social work in Australia? Do you work with children and young people? Marcc I used Ian Harrop as a migration agent, they have been brilliant and were really helpful and honest with me. Just google him. Cheers guys Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sami Posted March 18, 2014 Report Share Posted March 18, 2014 Hi Marc, I noticed last night that that support worker is on the csol list, perhaps you could investigate this route further? Sam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lisa888 Posted March 18, 2014 Report Share Posted March 18, 2014 Hi Marc and Doris, I came over on a 176 visa with my social work skills, got assessed by AASW ( assoc of Australian Social Workers ) and lived in a regional area of WA for 18 months where they were crying out for social workers so I was lucky that I landed a job straight away. I worked in a prison running programs and also as a counsellor. If you are able to get over and work in a Gov Dept in a regional area you are usually eligible for subsidised housing and extra regional allowance payments. I got a great cheap house and good salary but found 18 months in the outback a bit too challenging ! i have a degree and a Masters in social work but I have a social work friend who came to Perth the same time and she has not got a degree ( came on husband's skills ) and she found work very quickly as a team manager with adults with acquired brain injuries. If you want to work for health,DCP ( Dept of child protection ) or other Gov depts they usually specify a degree and if you look on the WA jobs site you will see they state : "specified callings" which means just that. I emailed and rang up about jobs and also social work agencies before we left the UK and got really frustrated and very worried as I got nowhere and it can be very confusing - don't give up ! I registered with Reed social care and sent my CV round and it didn't take long. I am not sure what the exact different visa requirements are now - I looked into a few and we nearly went to different states on various visas over a 3 year period as the lists/ criterias and requirements shift as you know. We used a migration agent in the end as wading through the changes and keeping up was a headache ! I strongly recommend it : ) Doris - I work for the Dept of Corrective Services in a prison as a counsellor in Perth . Started off on a contract and then got made permanent. Gov depts really like their "recruitment pools" over here - they advertise, you apply, if you get selected for interview and are successful you are placed in a pool and can get picked for a position or maybe not and can sit there for up to a year. Also social work is very different here. It's sounds arrogant but every UK / US SW I have met here says the same - it's very dated ! I work as a counsellor here and just being a qualified SW enables you to go into private practice as a counsellor which I find a bit odd ! I could not do that in the UK without formal qualifications in counselling but here that is not an issue. I applied for a job with DCP when I arrived but turned it down due to what I saw of they work over here but I know they have on going recruitment and are always looking for staff. There are also some good NGOs but they do not pay as well as Gov dept. Hope this helps !? Lisa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrissyhannah67 Posted April 4, 2014 Report Share Posted April 4, 2014 Hi Lisa, Stumbled across this post tonight and was glad to see someone who has made the move and is working as a SW in Perth. My wife and I are both social workers and have just got our 190 visa grant on Tuesday. We're hoping to be in Perth around September with our two kids (2) & (12 weeks). I'm a Criminal justice social worker here and my wife's in child protection. Is there any advice job wise you could give us? Sounds as if it's all worked out for you, which is great. Would obviously love a job to come out to right away but not sure if that's gonna happen judging by the comments I've seen relating to Social Work/Social Care. Cheers in advance, Chris :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seiso72 Posted May 5, 2014 Report Share Posted May 5, 2014 Hi Marc, Not sure if I have already sent a reply to you !? Having problems with this site : / ! Are you still looking for info re:social work here ? I am working as a social worker in Perth - been in WA nearly 3 years. Happy to help if I can. Lisa just need to find whether there are social work positions in and around Perth Metropolitan area. How is the social work role in Western Australia as compared to the UK. I'm planning to start the application process next year and how is the remuneration in WA. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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