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• Social Work Personal Statement Examples

Are you applying to a Social Work course at a UK university ? It’s expected from you to have a strong sense of empathy, an ability to communicate effectively, and a commitment to social justice. 

A personal statement is an essential part of your application for a social work course, as it allows you to showcase your skills, experiences, and passion for helping others. You can find below successful social work personal statement examples from applicants to inspire and guide you in preparing your UCAS application .

Social Work Personal Statement Example

As a conscientious, responsible, enthusiastic, and open-minded individual, I am eager to pursue a career in social work. I have spent the last two years working in the social care field, and I am now ready to take the next step in my career by undertaking a degree programme in social work. My passion for social care stems from my desire to help those in need, and I have found immense satisfaction in doing so.

Working in a variety of settings has allowed me to meet and work with a diverse range of service users, and I have developed strong communication skills as a result. I have represented service users at Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangement meetings, Care Programme Approach (CPA) reviews, and Ward Round meetings. Working collaboratively with a team and partners has also taught me the importance of teamwork and partnership.

My commitment to helping those in need extends beyond my professional life. While in sixth form, I participated in a programme aimed at providing children with a low reading age with the support they needed to improve their reading levels. Additionally, I regularly visit a local care home for disabled individuals to talk and play games with the residents, as one of my close relatives lives there.

In my personal life, I enjoy keeping fit by working out in my home gym. I also enjoy listening to music and going out with friends, which provides me with a different environment from my work and studies and the opportunity to meet new people.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, I volunteered to help with food delivery for elderly individuals, which further reinforced my desire to make a positive difference in people’s lives. These experiences have taught me the value of empathy, compassion, and the importance of supporting individuals in their times of need.

I believe that social work is a noble profession that offers the opportunity to make a positive difference in people’s lives, and I am committed to pursuing this career path. With my strong communication skills, teamwork abilities, and passion for helping others, I am confident that I can make a significant contribution to the field of social work. I am excited to embark on this journey and am eager to learn and grow as a social worker.

Recommended for further reading:

• How to Write a Personal Statement for a Master’s
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• UCAS Personal Statement: A Writing Guide And Tips For Success
• Tips for Writing a Personal Statement for the University
• How to Write a Personal Statement That Stands Out

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Social Work Personal Statement Example For UK University

As a thoughtful young leader who has always been fascinated by the complexities of human society and the issues that people face, I have decided to pursue a career in social work. My background in sociology and my experience as a Women’s Officer on my students’ union executive committee have given me a good understanding of the challenges that people from different backgrounds can face, and I am eager to use this knowledge to make a real difference in the lives of others.

My BA (Hons) in Politics with Law has given me the academic grounding necessary to succeed in a Social Work MA programme. Through my coursework, I have gained experience in reading and interpreting legal texts, which will be invaluable in understanding the legislation that social workers operate within, such as the Children’s Act 1989 and Mental Health Act 1983.

In addition to my academic qualifications, I have also developed important skills through my part-time job as a shop assistant. This work has taught me the importance of responsibility and has given me increased confidence. I have also developed my communication skills by dealing with unexpected problems and working with customers.

Throughout my life, I have always been willing to offer help and support to others. As a class rep in college, I was regularly asked for help and advice, which I was happy to provide. I believe that my non-judgmental, open, and empathetic nature makes me well-suited to a career in social work. I understand the importance of approaching each situation with sensitivity and understanding, and I am committed to providing the best possible care and support to those in need.

I am particularly interested in helping individuals and families who are facing abuse and other types of trauma. Through my sociology coursework, I have gained a good understanding of the problems that can arise in families, and I am eager to use this knowledge to help those who are in need. I believe that everyone deserves to live in a safe and supportive environment, and I am committed to doing everything in my power to make this a reality.

I believe that I have the necessary skills, knowledge, and personal qualities to succeed in a career in social work. I am passionate about helping others and making a positive difference in the world, and I am eager to take on the challenges that come with this important work. I look forward to the opportunity to continue my education and training in social work.

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Perfecting a Health and Social Care Personal Statement: a Guide with Examples

By: Angelina Grin

After completing your school studies, you can continue on to university or look for employment. If you decide to go on with your education, your personal statement will be your ticket to receiving the study place you want. What’s more, even if you already have years of work experience behind your shoulders, a personal statement will remain a powerful tool in your job search.

Typical Health and Social Care Personal Statement Examples

Making the introduction engaging, be as specific as possible, writing a memorable conclusion, a brilliant health and social care personal statement is one step away.

In this guide, we will look at a sample personal statement and find out what can be done to perfect it. We will also show you examples of what can ruin the impression about you for the person reading your cover letter.

First, let’s start by taking a look at a typical personal statement a university admissions committee receives from the applicants, written by Angela:

Dear Sir or Madam,

My name is Angela Thompson, and I am currently finishing my senior year of high school in Los Angeles. I am applying to the University of Washington for the Health and Social Care program, as my biggest dream is to become a support worker at NHS.

Here is some information about me: I am an 18 years old student passionate about receiving a profession in health care. I have managed to maintain a great academic standing throughout my high school years while participating in a variety of social activities.

The University of Washington is my first choice when it comes to receiving a qualification that will prepare me for working relationships in the healthcare sphere, as its reputation speaks for itself. Besides, it offers a vast selection of specialization opportunities for students, which is definitely a plus for me.

I am an active, sociable, and empathic person. In my spare time, I love watching healthcare-related TED talks and interviews with outstanding people talking about society's problems. To me, studying is the most productive way to spend my free time. I am ready for all the hard work that needs to be done in order to become a qualified healthcare professional.

Thank you for your time and attention,

Angela Thompson

Such a personal statement is something hundreds and even thousands of young people across the country submit to educational institutions throughout their application process. However, there are several major issues with this example because it does not:

• stand out among others
• offer enough details about the author
• focus on subject-related achievements
• specify the applicant’s future plans

Despite the lack of such information, this letter can be upgraded to a personal statement that will not miss the attention of the admissions committee. Read on to find out how!

Tips to Upgrade a Mediocre Personal Statement

To be completely fair, let’s highlight the good things about Angela’s personal statement:

• it is focusing on the healthcare sphere
• it follows a clear, logical structure: intro, background, motivation, personal traits and skills
• it shows that the person is result-oriented

Knowing the advantages and downsides of this letter, it will be easier to fix and improve it. Here is a list of our suggestions on how to upgrade this personal statement in three easy steps:

Telling everything about yourself in the introduction may seem logical, but make sure you balance this information out with something the reader will remember. For instance, it can be a joke or an unusual fact about you. Here is a sample of a great intro:

My name is Angela Thompson, and I am applying to the Health and Social Care program at the University of Washington. My biggest dream is to do social work on a professional level. I have found this passion during my high school years (“right about time”, as my parents say) when doing voluntary work as a part of my school project. My teammates and I were raising awareness about the mental health issues of domestic violence victims and collecting funds for their support and treatment. It was a win-win situation, as I not only managed to help the local community and figured out what I want to do in life but also got into the Guinness Book of World Records together with my teammates, as the largest school-based volunteering program.

This sample demonstrates a personal statement introduction that makes the applicant wishing to become a social worker stand out due to an unusual story and a sprinkle of humor. Besides, the assessor can understand that the applicant has successful experience in teamwork and is passionate about the field of studies.

An introduction that is uninformative and too short will not hook the reader and can only be taken as an anti example.

Having a well-structured personal statement is not enough if the information you provide in it is vague. In the example, the student writes:

• “receiving a health care profession”
• “a variety of social activities”
• “which is definitely a plus for me”
• “talking about society's problems”

All these statements are really indefinite and could be written by anyone. Make them personal! For example:

• “Receiving a healthcare profession in midwifery is my biggest desire, because…”
• “I am a peer tutor, head of the student council, and take part in local charities, such as…”
• “I appreciate the variety of specializations available at Newcastle University because I am yet to decide whether I want to focus on the childcare or mental health sphere.”
• “I am deeply concerned about society’s problems, such as vaccination shortage and the availability of care homes. My family and I have faced these issues during our immigration process.”

Once you are sure that your personal statement reflects who you really are and contains all subject-related achievements you wish to share, you can move on to the conclusion.

The conclusion you’ve read in the personal statement example is alright. The author writes about notable skills and spending spare time. However, you can do it better by listing them in connection with your spheres of interest. For example:

I believe I would be a good addition to the Health and Social Care program offered by Washington University, as I possess skills that are crucial for carers, such as time management, leadership, responsibility, and empathy. Throughout my volunteering experience, I have learned that a healthcare professional should be multitasking and organized at all times. I don’t panic even when working under pressure, which is yet another valuable quality for the career I wish to pursue. I also have strong communication skills, which will be helpful when assisting health care service users with special needs.

I would be more than grateful if you considered me as a worthy candidate,

We highly recommend avoiding the usage of cliche phrases and quotes, as the university representatives want to hear what you specifically have to say.

Now you know how to improve your personal statement and get that study place you’re aiming for! However, if you are running short on time or you are still not sure what exactly to write, it is better not to risk blowing your chance.

Experts at Studybay have years of successful experience writing masterful personal statements, essays, cover letters, and other texts that get applicants into higher education institutes. Our written works are plagiarism-free and tailored to your needs. Do not hesitate to reach out and order the work, and best of luck with your application process!

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Health and Social Care Personal Statement Samples: Craft Your Ideal Statement

• by [email protected]
• 5 January 2024 5 January 2024

Table of Contents

• Introduction

Exploring Sample Personal Statements

• Tips for Writing Your Statement

Benefits of Quality Personal Statements

Why health and social care personal statement samples matter.

Seeking entrance into a health and social care program? Wondering how to craft a standout personal statement? Delve into health and social care personal statement samples to gain essential insights.

By the end of this article, you’ll uncover exemplary samples, expert tips, and the secrets to creating a compelling personal statement that gets noticed.

Discover diverse health and social care personal statement samples that showcase different approaches and styles. Learn from successful examples to understand effective structuring and content delivery.

Explore various narratives, experiences, and writing styles to inspire your own unique statement.

Tips for Writing Your Health and Social Care Personal Statement

Unlock the secrets to crafting an outstanding statement with expert tips and guidance. From highlighting experiences to showcasing passion and commitment, learn the strategies employed in top-tier health and social care personal statement samples.

Understand the dos and don’ts to create a statement that captivates admission panels.

Discover the significance of a well-crafted personal statement in securing admission. Learn how a standout statement can differentiate you from other candidates and impress admission committees.

Explore the impact of quality personal statements on your academic and professional journey.

Embark on your journey towards a successful application with the guidance offered by health and social care personal statement samples. Craft a statement that reflects your passion, experiences, and commitment.

Ready to craft your standout personal statement? Visit Healthcarediploma.org to access expert guidance and resources!

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Perfecting a Health and Social Care Personal Statement

Introduction

Welcome to The Knowledge Nest, your trusted source for comprehensive guidance on health and social care personal statements. Crafting a compelling personal statement is essential for gaining admission to top educational institutions and securing a successful career in this field. With our expert tips and advice, you'll learn how to stand out from the competition and excel in your application.

Why is the Personal Statement Important?

The personal statement is a crucial component of your application for health and social care programs. It provides an opportunity for you to showcase your passion, experiences, and suitability for the field. Admissions committees carefully review personal statements to assess your ability to articulate your motivations, abilities, and future goals. A well-crafted personal statement can make the difference in securing a place in your desired program.

Understanding the Requirements

Before diving into writing your personal statement, it's vital to understand the specific requirements of your target institutions. Familiarize yourself with their mission, values, and program details. This knowledge will enable you to tailor your personal statement to align with their expectations and demonstrate your enthusiasm for their unique offerings.

Structuring Your Personal Statement

A well-structured personal statement presents your ideas in a logical and engaging manner. Begin by introducing yourself and providing background information that highlights your passion for health and social care. Use descriptive language to paint a vivid picture of your experiences and the impact they've had on your desire to pursue a career in this field.

Subheading 1: Highlighting Your Experiences

In this section, delve into specific experiences that have shaped your interest in health and social care. Discuss any relevant volunteer work, internships, or employment that have exposed you to the challenges and rewards of the field. Highlight the skills and knowledge you've acquired and how they have influenced your decision to pursue this career path.

Subheading 2: Showcasing Your Academic Achievements

Demonstrate your academic prowess in this section. Highlight your relevant coursework, research projects, and any honors or awards you've received. Discuss how your academic achievements have deepened your understanding of health and social care and motivated you to strive for excellence in the field.

Subheading 3: Demonstrating Your Transferable Skills

Transferable skills play a crucial role in health and social care. Discuss how your communication, problem-solving, empathy, and teamwork skills will enable you to excel in this profession. Provide specific examples of situations where you've utilized these skills and their positive impact on those you've interacted with.

Stand Out with Unique Insights

To truly make your personal statement shine, offer unique insights into the field of health and social care. Share your thoughts on current challenges, emerging trends, or innovative approaches. By showcasing your knowledge and critical thinking abilities, you'll demonstrate your potential to contribute to the field and make a lasting impact.

In conclusion, crafting a well-crafted health and social care personal statement is essential for gaining admission to top educational institutions and securing a successful career in this field. Utilize the guidance and tips provided by The Knowledge Nest to perfect your personal statement and stand out from the competition. With dedication and careful planning, you can maximize your chances of success and embark on a fulfilling journey in health and social care. Good luck!

For personalized assistance and further guidance, feel free to reach out to The Knowledge Nest's team of experts. We're here to help you achieve your goals.

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• Personal statement advice: social work

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Social work personal statement basics

According to University Campus Suffolk social work admissions tutor Martin Fookes, talking about your personality should not be the dominant feature of your personal statement. It’s your understanding of what social work is all about, and how you reflect on your experiences, skills, and prior reading that will indicate whether or not you are sufficiently well-prepared.

Here are some more tips gathered from tutors (with special thanks to staff at Anglia Ruskin, Leeds, Portsmouth, and Sheffield Hallam Universities, and University Campus Suffolk). You won't be able to cover them all, but they will help you to focus your application, or perhaps to see what you need to do to strengthen it.

Your knowledge of social work

• Your statement should demonstrate an understanding of what social work as a profession is all about – along with the skills, knowledge, and experience you will bring to it.
• Discuss what you’ve learned or what's inspired you from relevant books, magazines, websites, documentaries, or social issues reported in the media, but perhaps steer away from talking about popular literature.
• Going to university open days or conferences and talking to students and tutors will offer you some extra insights into the course.
• It’s okay to talk about personal experiences that shaped your interest in the degree, especially if you’re a mature applicant, but be prepared to talk openly about it at interview .
• Don't focus your interest on a narrow or specialist area of social work, but show a willingness to engage with issues that span the entire spectrum of society, including the elderly.

Relevant work and extra-curricular experience

• Make the most of every opportunity to gain experience of supporting people: in care homes, community schemes, youth clubs, play schemes, holiday clubs, after-school clubs, nurseries, mentoring, anti-bullying schemes, or working with the elderly or people with a disability.
• Always demonstrate what you’ve learned from your experience, and how it has helped you develop appropriate skills or qualities.
• Talk to social workers about the work they do, what they like about it, and what recent developments have impacted on their work, and reflect on this in your statement.
• Relevant transferable skills from employment or extra-curricular activities could also be worth mentioning.

The right skills and qualities for social work

• Demonstrate your resilience and the ability to analyse situations critically.
• You should also be able to show values of non-discriminatory behaviour and an understanding of the effects of disadvantage in society.
• Do also reflect on an aspect of your academic learning, and explain what it has taught you about social work, or any appropriate skills it has helped you develop – and if it’s relevant to you, perhaps mention barriers you've overcome yourself.
• Think about solid illustrative examples of your skills in action, especially if those skills are relevant to social work – organisation, committment, motivation, being able to work effectively with others, and so on.
• Try to avoid clichés – say more than just 'I have a passion for helping people' or 'I am a people person,' by demonstrating how and why. This is a career that will require you to work objectively within professional boundaries.

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Social Care Personal Statement

Sample Social Care Personal Statement

Employment within the field of social care offers many opportunities to witness the positive impact that your work can have on others. For someone who is as passionate about social mobility and empowerment as I am, working within the field would offer unparalleled job satisfaction through a unique combination of intellectual challenge and practical problem solving with a continued focus on compassion and communication. I have worked hard, both in academia and employment, to gain the relevant skills, knowledge and experience to ensure that I have the ability to become a dedicated, talented student in the field and, beyond university, a valuable future employee.

Having made my decision to study social care, I made a highly successful return to education that has laid an excellent foundation for future study. Beginning with a BTEC first national diploma in Health and Social Care, for which I gained a distinction, and progressing to an Access to Higher Education diploma in the same subject, I have encountered the main aspects of the field within an academic context and gained a solid overview of these subjects. Alongside the knowledge that I have gained, I have also proven my ability to undertake the practical aspects of study, such as time management, group work and written and verbal presentation. My strong performance during my BTEC course was recognised by a Most Improved Student Award, demonstrating how my dedication to the subject had inspired hard work and consistency throughout.

I have also worked to gain employment experience in the field, both as an opportunity to apply my theoretical knowledge in a practical context and to gain a better idea of what working within the field actually constitutes. Since March 2010 I have worked as a carer at Moorlands Nursing Home, undertaking all aspects of social and personal care for the patients. Alongside the practical aspects of this role, supporting the residents and their families through a difficult period of their lives has also improved my ability to communicate as well as negotiating the institutional aspects of social care. In order to improve my knowledge of these aspects of the field I have also arranged to shadow a social worker for three days in the near future. Before pursuing a career in social care I held management positions in both the sales and hospitality industries. Both of these positions required people skills and an aptitude for communication, alongside administrative and planning skills that have proven useful when transferred to social care.

I enjoy spending time with my young family and am a committed father to my four-month old son. Becoming a father has sharpened my interest in social equality and my desire to work within a field that allows me to play a part in making a better world for him in the future. My passion for social justice and empowerment also means that I make an effort to follow related stories in the news media and this, combined with the substantial reading I have undertaken throughout my academic courses, ensures that I have a strong grasp of the core issues effecting social policy. I am also a keen Scuba diver and have been rated as a Master Diver. This has allowed me to take part in many courses teaching people how to dive, which has enhanced my communication skills and my ability to stay calm, and inspire calm in others, in high-pressure situations.

I have proven myself to be a dedicated, conscientious and ambitious student since my return to education and have shown that I am capable of gaining knowledge and skill while also balancing the practical demands of study and family life. More importantly, I have demonstrated an overarching passion for social justice and the empowerment of others through the enactment of social policy. This passion has inspired me throughout study and employment and will continue to inspire me to achieve at undergraduate level and to reach my ultimate goal of a career as a mental health social worker.

This sample Social Care personal statement can be used for inspiration to help you write your own unique personal statement.

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How to write an effective personal statement for a social work job

Many people incorporate a short personal statement at the top of their cv, but social work employers may ask for more. jonathan coxon, managing director of social work recruitment consultancy liquid personnel, gives six tips on how to sell yourself..

When applying for a social work job, you may be asked to write a covering letter or separate personal statement to accompany your application. More likely you will be asked to complete a specific application form for the employer, which will include a question along the lines of: “Please give your reasons for applying for this job and what you will bring to the team.” Here are six top tips on how to showcase your ability: 1. One size does not fit all One personal statement is not suitable for multiple applications – your statement should be tailored to each role you are applying for. Refer closely to the job description, the person specification – including any essential and desirable requirements – and any other relevant guidance provided by the employer. Focus on clearly explaining how your experience and skills will fulfil and exceed their requirements. 2. Demonstrate your knowledge with facts Don’t just make broad statements. It’s not sufficient to say: “I have a strong working knowledge of child protection procedures.” Instead, back this up with meaningful examples, such as: “I have worked in a child protection team for X months”, “I have completed a placement in a local authority child protection team”, “I have received additional training in recognising signs of abuse and neglect”, “I have held a caseload of X child protection cases”, or “I can conduct section 47 investigations to a high standard.” 3. Be concise and explicit Avoid waffle and ensure you put your points across in a concise way, keeping your statement relevant to the job in question. Rather than just describing your skills and experience, explain exactly why this is relevant to the organisation and how they will benefit from employing you. 4. Take your time Draft your personal statement carefully. If you’re filling in an application form, don’t just start writing directly onto the form – plan your answer first. Remember that this is one of your best chances to showcase your skills during the application process. Employers will have to read a massive selection of applications and CVs from potential new recruits, so yours needs to stand out and sell yourself well. There is a good chance that the job you’re applying for will involve written work (e.g. report writing), so your statement will provide the employer with a very clear indication of your written skills. This is another reason to plan carefully and check thoroughly. 5. Show you care Express your enthusiasm for the role and use positive language. One of the most important qualities for a social worker is a genuine desire to support other people, so make sure this comes across in your writing. 6. Remember the basics Read any instructions carefully and stick to the rules set out by the employer. Check if there is a word limit and whether you are allowed to use additional pages for your answer. Finally, and crucially, check your spelling and grammar thoroughly and ask someone else to take a look for you.

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• Social Care Ltd
• 06 January 2018

How To Write A Personal Statement To Get A Social Care Job When You’ve Got No Experience

• Matt Farrah Nurses.co.uk Co-founder / Co-owner
• Save for later

If you’re applying for your first job in social care and don’t know where to start, this article will help. We break down the three essential parts of a personal statement and explain how the experience you do have can be made relevant.

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Skills and personality

Before you write this section, look back at everything you’ve done in your life.

You will have gained skills and experience from your jobs and school that you might not have ever thought about before.

In order to identify skills you didn’t think you had achieved, look back on different situations and analyse the contribution you made.

For example, say you used to volunteer to look after an elderly relative in their own home by helping them get dressed and undertake every day tasks such as washing up or cooking.

From this experience you will have learnt how to communicate in a respectful way with an individual that is relying on your assistance in order to maintain their independence and wellbeing, to maintain their dignity throughout, and to carry out person-centered care.

You may not have realised you were doing it, but by simply taking into account the needs of that person and their personal preferences, you are beginning to provide person-centered care.

Those are key skills when working in social care, and excellent communication skills are vital in every social care job .

Use the person specification to write a list of the skills deemed essential for the role, and those that are desirable. Then write an example of a time when you demonstrated each skill in a different environment, preferably using some examples from education, employment and voluntary work.

For example, if the person specification calls for someone who can work well in a team with good communication skills and commitment, you need to look back on all the experience you do have and draw out an example that shows how well you worked within a team, how your excellent communication skills contributed to you performance, and your commitment to see that situation through to conclusion.

Be succinct.

How you expect the role to develop, and your ambitions for the future

Now the recruiter is familiar with who you are and what experience you have, you can talk a little about what you expect from the role, how it will help you develop and what you anticipate going on to do in the future.

This section is not just to gain a clearer picture of your ambitions, but also to see how committed you are to working in social care.

In order to show that you are truly committed to a career in social care, you should have an idea of how the experience you will gain should you be offered the job can influence your social care career.

You could go on to be a senior care assistant, support worker or a domiciliary team leader.

You could also go on to university to train to become a registered nurse or social worker.

What Do You Think?

Ask questions, comment and like this article below! Share your thoughts, add your opinion in the comments below.

After this blog post...

Once you've used our guide and applied for your job and have (hopefully) got to the interview stage, I bet you'll be worrying about what to say in your interview, right?

Well, we've got a blog post on interview tips for social workers . Using the knowledge you now have on applying for social work jobs with no experience, you can apply these to your interview, too.

You can also look at how to perfect your CV to really ensure you impress your future employer. Here's how to write a CV as a social worker .

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About this contributor

I believe people working in healthcare should be able to choose to enjoy work. That is, choose an employer who reflects their values and provides them with a sustainable career. This leads to better patient care, higher retention rates and happier working lives in this most important employment sector.

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Get your social security statement ( en español ), social security statement.

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Provisional decision to impose £6m fine on software provider following 2022 ransomware attack that disrupted NHS and social care services

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We have provisionally decided to fine Advanced Computer Software Group Ltd (Advanced) £6.09m, following an initial finding that the provider failed to implement measures to protect the personal information of 82,946 people, including some sensitive personal information.  

Advanced provides IT and software services to organisations on a national scale, including the NHS and other healthcare providers, and handles people’s personal information on behalf of these organisations as their data processor.

The provisional decision to issue a fine relates to a ransomware incident in August 2022, where we have provisionally found that hackers initially accessed a number of Advanced’s health and care systems via a customer account that did not have multi-factor authentication. 

We have provisionally found that personal information belonging to 82,946 people was exfiltrated following the attack. The cyber attack was widely reported at the time of the incident, with reports of disruption to critical services such as NHS 111, and other healthcare staff unable to access patient records.

The data exfiltrated included phone numbers and medical records, as well as details of how to gain entry to the homes of 890 people who were receiving care at home. People impacted have been notified, and Advanced found no evidence that any data was published on the dark web. 

The Commissioner’s findings are provisional. No conclusion should be drawn at this stage that there has, in fact, been any breach of data protection law or that a financial penalty will ultimately be imposed. The Commissioner will carefully consider any representations Advanced make before making a final decision, with the fine amount also subject to change.

  John Edwards, UK Information Commissioner, said:

“This incident shows just how important it is to prioritise information security. Losing control of sensitive personal information will have been distressing for people who had no choice but to put their trust in health and care organisations. “Not only was personal information compromised, but we have also seen reports that this incident caused disruption to some health services, disrupting their ability to deliver patient care. A sector already under pressure was put under further strain due to this incident. "F or an organisation trusted to handle a significant volume of sensitive and special category data, we have provisionally found serious failings in its approach to information security prior to this incident. Despite already installing measures on its corporate systems, our provisional finding is that Advanced failed to keep its healthcare systems secure. We expect all organisations to take fundamental steps to secure their systems, such as regularly checking for vulnerabilities, implementing multi-factor authentication and keeping systems up to date with the latest security patches. “I am choosing to publicise this provisional decision today as it is my duty to ensure other organisations have information that can help them to secure their systems and avoid similar incidents in the future. I urge all organisations, especially those handling sensitive health data, to urgently secure external connections with multi-factor authentication.” 

Data processors act on the instructions of their clients, the data controllers, who have overall control over how and why personal information is used. However, data processors, such as Advanced, still have their own obligations to implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to ensure personal information is kept secure. This includes taking steps to assess and mitigate risks, such as regularly checking for vulnerabilities, implementing multi-factor authentication and keeping systems up to date with the latest security patches.

We have detailed guidance to support organisations to protect their systems from ransomware attacks , as well as guidance on the responsibilities and liabilities of both data processors and controllers . 

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Social work personal statement example 4.

Having spent the last four years working in the social care field, I have come to realise that my passion lies in helping people who are less advantaged. I am currently taking an access to higher education course to further my ambition to become a social worker.

Until recently I was working in a residential home with adults with learning disabilities ranging from mild to severe. I worked with individuals who also have bi-polar disorder, schizophrenia, Alzheimer's and challenging behaviour. This gave me great insight into the role of a social worker as I was attending multi-disciplinary care reviews helping service users to determine their present needs and wishes and identify future goals and desired outcomes, on an ongoing basis, whilst promoting empowerment, individuality, rights, responsibilities, identity and self esteem. I was putting care plans into action by helping individuals with life skills e.g. developing basic budgeting and money managing skills, providing information or helping service users to access information relevant to their needs and wishes, assisting them to develop a higher level of independence and improve their communication and social skills.

I was also providing continuous emotional support on a daily basis and during stressful life changes. I learnt how to communicate with clients about sensitive issues in an appropriate manner, understanding and being prepared for their reactions to the information. This job significantly improved my communication skills, my patience, and my initiative. As a result I became more aware of my own values and beliefs whilst showing respect for all persons and their values, beliefs, cultures, goals, needs and preferences.

I completed the NVQ3 in Health and Social care which enabled me to develop my practice. I learnt about the laws, legislations and different government policies involved in social care, about abuse and the different forms it can take and how to help individuals take control of their lives.

Although I have no experience working with children and families, I have raised my daughter single handed and feel that I can relate to families who are having troubles. I hope with my positive attitude and determination to improve my own quality of life I can reflect this into my practice when helping others.

At present I am studying Sociology, Psychology, Law and Politics on the access course. I am learning about the impacts of the industrial revolution and how society is seen from a Marxist and functionalist point of view, about different types of mental disorders, the structure of the government and how the criminal justice system works. I am finding it very interesting and am really enjoying being back in education.

I also read the Community Care magazine each week to keep up to date with social issues. I find the topics on current social issues very interesting and enjoy reading about the experiences of qualified social workers I also find the articles on topics such as advocacy helpful. I hope that studying the degree in social work will give me a greater understanding of social problems, their causes, their solutions and the impacts these have while allowing me to obtain the skills I require to be successful in my chosen career path.

Profile info

Related personal statements, this is an excellent personal.

Mon, 16/02/2009 - 16:04

This is an excellent personal statement, it ha helped me a great deal with mine. good luck with the application. Thanks

A very good Personal

Tue, 09/06/2009 - 16:50

A very good Personal Statement, some key ideas,enough deatils, not too long and not too short overall. Well done and best of luck with your degree!!!!

READ THIS AN FOUND IT

Fri, 18/09/2009 - 09:43

READ THIS AN FOUND IT FANTASTIC!. I AM CURRENTLY IN MY SECOND YEAR OF ACCESS TO SOCIAL WORK COURSE AND WILL SOON BE WRITING MY PERSONAL STATEMENT!

Very well written, thank you

Sun, 04/10/2009 - 21:47

Very well written, thank you very much this has helped me alot, even though I feel as if I can not write a personal statement as well as this, as it has all the relevent information and wrote in a professional manner. The experiences and work I have done which have interested my towards being a social worker, are not as relevent as the experiences and work you have done according to promote your career.

From Anne, Oldham

Sat, 10/10/2009 - 22:39

Great statement! Hope you managed to gain entry to your 1st choice. I am an Access student and just starting the terrifying task of writing mine. Wish me luck. Good luck with your degree.

thank you Keira for sharing

Tue, 03/11/2009 - 15:52

thank you Keira for sharing this, it has helped me a lot with mine, good luck with your studies

This is really excellent as

Sun, 22/11/2009 - 12:27

This is really excellent as far as personal statements go. I'm currently in the process fo writing mine and it's incredibly difficult to do because you have so much to talk about in such a little space. It's different from other subjects, as you have to show your experience for a social work course. Well done Kiera, this was so helpful so thank you for sharing it.

(No subject)

Mon, 05/07/2010 - 11:24

its great..im going to be

Fri, 01/10/2010 - 14:28

its great..im going to be doing social work so this has really helped out thanks x

heeyyyaa wua? nm wit me

Thu, 01/03/2012 - 14:50

so yea i like really wanna be a social worker cuz i get on well wit da fellas and i no dat dey have drama in der life and dey just need an ear to talk to <3 is that what social work is about? tb x

Thank you very much. This has

Fri, 04/01/2013 - 14:00

Thank you very much. This has really helped me.

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FactChecking the First Harris/Walz Rally

By Lori Robertson , Robert Farley and Eugene Kiely

Posted on August 7, 2024 | Corrected on August 8, 2024

Este artículo estará disponible en español en El Tiempo Latino .

Vice President Kamala Harris, now the Democratic nominee for president, introduced her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, for the first time at a rally in Philadelphia on Aug. 6. We found some misleading claims and assertions that required context in their remarks, which featured more hopeful pronouncements than pointed attacks on the Republican ticket.

• Walz made the unsupported claim that Trump will “gut Social Security and Medicare.” Trump has not released any detailed proposals to cut either program. In fact, he has promised to protect both.
• Walz said that “violent crime was up under Donald Trump.” Murders and aggravated assaults were up due to a spike in 2020. But the overall violent crime rate went down from 2016 to 2020.
• Walz claimed Trump “said he’d ban abortion across this country.” Trump once supported legislation that included a federal 20-week ban on abortions, with some exceptions. But Trump now says it is entirely a state issue, and that he does not support a national abortion ban and would veto such a bill.
• Harris claimed Trump wants to “punish women” who get an abortion. Trump once said that in a 2016 interview, but he then quickly retracted the statement, saying that the physician performing the procedure in violation of a state or federal ban should be held legally responsible. He recently said states would decide whom to hold responsible.
• Harris and Walz both claimed that Trump would end the Affordable Care Act, with Harris saying this would “take us back to a time when insurance companies have the power to deny people with preexisting conditions.” We’ll provide some context. Trump, who has supported ending the law or weakening its preexisting condition protections, has said he wants to make the law “better” and cheaper. He hasn’t released a plan to do so.

Harris, who officially declared her candidacy on July 26, picked Walz less than two weeks later. At the Philadelphia rally, Harris said the delegates to the Democratic National Convention had finished a virtual vote for the party’s presidential candidate the night before. “And so I stand before you today to proudly announce I am now officially the Democratic nominee for president of the United States.”

Social Security and Medicare

Walz made a litany of assumptions about what Trump will do if he returns to office, saying the former president is “going to pick up exactly where he left off four years ago, only this time it will be much worse.” In doing so, Walz made the unsupported claim that Trump will “gut Social Security and Medicare.”

As we’ve  written before , Trump did not propose any cuts to Social Security’s retirement benefits as president, although his budgets did contain proposals to cut the Social Security Disability Insurance and Supplemental Security Income programs. His budgets also included bipartisan proposals to reduce the growth of Medicare without cutting benefits.

As a candidate, Trump has not released any detailed proposals to cut either program, although he suggested a tax change that could result in less benefits in the next decade.

Trump has promised, if elected, to protect both programs. In January 2023, when House Republicans were discussing ways to cut government spending, Trump  warned  Republicans in a video not to cut Social Security and Medicare.

“Under no circumstances should Republicans vote to cut a single penny from Medicare or Social Security to help pay for Joe Biden’s reckless spending spree,” Trump  said , adding that Republicans should not cut “benefits our seniors worked for and paid for their entire lives.”

In early July, the Republican Party released its platform, which  says  that the party will “FIGHT FOR AND PROTECT SOCIAL SECURITY AND MEDICARE WITH NO CUTS, INCLUDING NO CHANGES TO THE RETIREMENT AGE.”

Since then, Trump has gone even further by suggesting he will seek to repeal the income tax on Social Security benefits. “SENIORS SHOULD NOT PAY TAX ON SOCIAL SECURITY,” Trump said in a  July 31 post  on Truth Social.

Trump provided no details for such a proposal, which the Committee for a Responsible Budget  estimated  would cost the government $1.6 trillion to $1.8 trillion in revenues over 10 years. The CRFB also noted that repealing the tax on Social Security benefits could result in both programs becoming insolvent sooner than scheduled, meaning future Social Security and Medicare benefits would be reduced unless Trump provides a plan to replace the lost revenues or a future Congress and president act to replace the lost funds.

Earlier this year, Democrats  accused  Trump of plotting to cut Social Security and Medicare based on a statement that he made during a March 11 interview with CNBC. When asked how he would handle the rising cost of Social Security and Medicare, Trump  said : “So first of all, there is a lot you can do in terms of entitlements in terms of cutting and in terms of also the theft and the bad management of entitlements, tremendous bad management of entitlements.” His campaign  said  Trump was talking about cutting waste and fraud — not benefits.

Walz claimed: “And make no mistake, violent crime was up under Donald Trump.” Murders and aggravated assaults were up, though it should be noted the increase all came in 2020.

The murder rate increased from 5.4 per 100,000 population in 2016, the year before Trump took office, to 6.8 in 2020, according to the FBI’s 2022 Crime in the United States report, the most recent report available. (See Table 1 after downloading the CIUS Estimations file.) The aggravated assault rate went from 250.4 to 277.2. Other categories of crime, including rape, robbery and property crime rates, went down.

The big increase in murders came in 2020, when the number of murders in the country rose 32.2%.

The overall violent crime rate, however, went down, from 389.9 in 2016 to 385.2 in 2020.

Experts have told us before that several factors were likely behind the increase in murders in 2020 and 2021, including the COVID-19 pandemic, which caused a loss of jobs and disproportionately affected vulnerable populations.

Experts also said that presidents, regardless of party, have little to do with notable changes in violent crime and murder during their time in office.

Criminologist Richard Rosenfeld , who wrote about crime trends for the nonpartisan Council on Criminal Justice at the end of his long career in this field, told us in 2021 that presidents “can facilitate a response,” citing an initiative by President Joe Biden at the time to work with cities to reduce gun violence. “But no president, in my memory, has ever single-handedly been responsible for a sharp crime increase or for that matter a sharp crime decline. Crime is driven by other factors and the president has little control over those factors.”

National Abortion Ban

Walz  said  Trump “said he’d ban abortion across this country,” though Trump now says he does not support a national abortion ban and would veto such a bill if Congress passed it. Rather, Trump says the issue ought to be left entirely up to individual states to decide.

It is true, however, that when Trump was a candidate in 2016 and again when he was president, he said he would support a federal ban on abortion after 20 weeks of pregnancy.

In his speech in Philadelphia, Walz said, “And when somebody tells you who they are, believe them. He said he’d ban abortion across this country, and he’ll do it whether or not Congress is there or not.”

In  a letter  sent to anti-abortion leaders while he was running for president in September 2016, Trump promised that he would “[sign] into law the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, which would end painful late-term abortions nationwide.” That legislation  sought  to ban abortions nationwide beyond 20 weeks, with some exceptions for victims of rape or incest and if the mother’s life is in danger.

In that letter, Trump also vowed to nominate only “pro-life justices” to the U.S. Supreme Court. Trump kept that promise. His three appointments to the Supreme Court paved the way for  overturning  Roe v. Wade, the court’s 1973 decision establishing a constitutional right to abortion. Since the court overruled Roe in June 2022, the jurisdiction on abortion rights has returned to the states. Earlier this year, Trump  said  he was “proudly the person responsible” for ending Roe v. Wade.

As president, while  speaking  to March for Life participants in January 2018, Trump said he “strongly supported the House of Representative’s Pain-Capable bill, which would end painful, late-term abortions nationwide. And I call upon the Senate to pass this important law and send it to my desk for signing.” Although the bill had  passed  the House in late 2017, it  never passed  the Senate.

Trump has since changed course.

On April 8, Trump  released  a four-minute  video  on Truth Social outlining his position on abortion, saying that he would leave the issue to the states. Two days later, he definitively  said  “no” when asked whether he would sign a national abortion ban if Congress passed one. 

“The states will determine by vote or legislation or perhaps both, and whatever they decide must be the law of the land,” Trump said in the video. “In this case, the law of the state. Many states will be different. Many will have a different number of weeks or some will have more conservative than others, and that’s what they will be.”

The 2024  Republican platform  affirmed that state, rather than federal, approach on abortion stating, “Republicans Will Protect and Defend a Vote of the People, from within the States, on the Issue of Life.” However, the platform adds a reference to laws that would grant fetuses the same rights as people, saying, “We believe that the 14th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States guarantees that no person can be denied Life or Liberty without Due Process, and that the States are, therefore, free to pass Laws protecting those Rights.”

While the language about leaving the abortion issue to states  upset  some anti-abortion activists who advocated a national ban, the news site  the 19th  wrote that if states passed the so-called fetal “personhood” laws, it “would have the practical effect of prohibiting abortion at all stages of pregnancy. Its impact could become national if courts affirm state-level laws that extend the application of the 14th Amendment to fetuses.”

‘Punishing’ Women

“Donald Trump said he wants to punish women,”  Harris said , “and as a result of his actions, today in America 1 out of 3 women live in a state with a Trump abortion ban, 1 out of 3. Some of these bans go back to the 1800s even before women had a right to vote.”

As a presidential candidate in 2016, Trump once said — and then  quickly walked back  — that women needed to face “some form of punishment” for violating abortion bans. After facing  criticism  from groups both for and against abortion rights, Trump retracted the statement the same day, saying that the physician performing the procedure in violation of a federal or state ban should be held legally responsible — not the woman.

“The woman is a victim in this case as is the life in her womb,” Trump  said  in a March 30, 2016, statement.

More recently, in  an interview  with Time in April, Trump was asked, with the overturning of Roe v. Wade, if states should monitor women’s pregnancies and/or prosecute women who get an abortion in violation of state law. Trump said “they might,” but that’s for each state to decide.

As  we have written , President Joe Biden and some other Democrats twisted Trump’s words by claiming that Trump said “states should monitor women’s pregnancies and prosecute those who violate abortion bans.” (Emphasis is ours.) In the  Time interview , Trump said his opinion about what ought to happen is “totally irrelevant, because the states are going to make those decisions.” As we’ve noted before, it’s also true that in his Time interview, Trump didn’t advocate that women should  not  be prosecuted – which was his position in the first campaign.

While no states currently have laws that explicitly call for prosecuting women who get abortions in violation of state abortion bans, some state elected officials  are advocating  that. And some abortion rights advocates worry that since some state laws do not contain specific prohibitions against prosecuting women who get abortions, aggressive prosecutors might attempt to do that. Others are concerned that states with fetal “personhood”  laws  might have left the door open for prosecutors to seek criminal punishment of women, particularly those who self-manage abortions through medication.

As for Harris’ claim that due to Trump’s actions “1 out of 3 women live in a state with a Trump abortion ban,” the health policy research group KFF  reports that, as of July 29 and with some exceptions, 14 states have banned abortions at any stage; another six states have set a gestational limit of between six to 12 weeks; and five states have set a gestational limit between 15 weeks and 22 weeks.

PolitiFact did the math on women of reproductive age in states that have some sort of abortion ban and concluded Harris’ estimate was accurate.

Affordable Care Act

Harris and Walz both claimed that Trump would end the Affordable Care Act. He wasn’t able to do so when he was in office — even when Republicans controlled both houses of Congress. But Trump has indicated that he may try again.

He posted  on social media in November that Republicans “should never give up” on terminating the law. In late March, Trump  said  he wanted to make the ACA “better” and cheaper. But he hasn’t released a health care plan.

“If Donald Trump gets the chance, he will end the Affordable Care Act and take us back to a time when insurance companies have the power to deny people with preexisting conditions,” Harris said.

Ending the ACA would reduce the protections for people with preexisting conditions considerably. We can’t say how Trump might change or replace the ACA. He has expressed support for protecting those with preexisting conditions, but his record shows he hasn’t supported keeping all of the law’s provisions.

The ACA prohibits insurers from denying coverage or charging people more based on their health status, provisions that most notably have affected those seeking to buy their own coverage on the individual market. Before the ACA, insurance rates on the individual market could vary substantially; women were charged more to get coverage for a possible future pregnancy; and insurers, in many states, could simply deny a policy to some consumers altogether.

The ACA also bars insurers from refusing to cover a certain condition, and it requires plans to cover 10 essential benefits .

As we’ve explained before , as of 2022, 20 million people, or about  6.3%  of the U.S. population, got coverage on the individual market, where, again, these protections are a significant change from the pre-ACA insurance market. However, people who lose their jobs or retire early could also end up seeking insurance on the individual market.

Before the ACA, employer plans still had some preexisting condition protections: They couldn’t deny a policy to an employee. But if a new employee had a lapse in insurance coverage, employer plans could decline coverage for some preexisting conditions for a limited period.

In the face of court challenges to the ACA — including a lawsuit backed by the Trump administration that would have nullified the entire law — several states have enacted laws to mimic some, or all, of the ACA’s preexisting condition protections. But experts say even in the 10 states, as of 2020, that enacted all of the law’s protections, it’s not enough to maintain what the ACA has done.

“Even when a state has adopted all four protections, without financial help from the federal government to make coverage affordable, the individual health insurance market will become dysfunctional, with fewer plans participating and spiraling premiums,” researchers with Georgetown University’s Center on Health Insurance Reforms wrote in an Oct. 29, 2020, report published by the Commonwealth Fund. They noted that billions in federal subsidies helped millions enroll in individual market plans on the ACA exchanges. “These subsidies have kept the individual market stable and affordable. Few, if any, states will be able to replace these federal dollars. Without this funding, the preexisting condition protections that have been adopted into state law will largely be meaningless.”

At the time, another 15 states had enacted at least one, but not all, of the ACA protections. “In these states, insurers will continue to be able to discourage enrollment of people with preexisting conditions if the ACA is struck down,” the report said.

As we said, Trump hasn’t put forth a health care plan. And several top Republicans have said his call to not give up on ending the ACA is a non-starter in Congress.

In the past, Trump supported a 2017 GOP bill that would have included some, but not all, of the ACA’s protections. He also  pushed the expansion  of cheaper short-term health plans that wouldn’t have to abide by the ACA’s prohibitions against denying or pricing coverage based on health status.

In late September 2020, Trump signed an  executive order  that made the general proclamation: “It has been and will continue to be the policy of the United States … to ensure that Americans with pre-existing conditions can obtain the insurance of their choice at affordable rates.” He  said  the order put the issue of preexisting conditions “to rest.”

It did not. Karen Pollitz, who was then a senior fellow at KFF,  told us  at the time that the order was “aspirational” and had “no force of law.”

Correction, Aug. 8: We originally reported that the overall violent crime rate went up slightly from 2016 to 2020, based on the FBI’s 2020 annual report. Updated statistics in the FBI’s 2022 report show the rate went down. We also updated that section with the most recent numbers for murders and aggravated assaults.

Editor’s note: FactCheck.org does not accept advertising. We rely on grants and individual donations from people like you. Please consider a donation. Credit card donations may be made through  our “Donate” page . If you prefer to give by check, send to: FactCheck.org, Annenberg Public Policy Center, 202 S. 36th St., Philadelphia, PA 19104. 

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