Social
Workers / Caseworkers
Social work is a profession for those with a strong
desire to help improve people’s lives. Social workers
assist people by helping them cope with issues in their
everyday lives, deal with their relationships, and solve
personal and family problems. Some social workers help
clients who face a disability or a life-threatening
disease or a social problem, such as inadequate housing,
unemployment, or substance abuse. Social workers also
assist families that have serious domestic conflicts,
sometimes involving child or spousal abuse. Some social
workers conduct research, advocate for improved
services, engage in systems design or are involved in
planning or policy development. Many social workers
specialize in serving a particular population or working
in a specific setting.
Child, family, and school social workers provide social
services and assistance to improve the social and
psychological functioning of children and their families
and to maximize the well-being of families and the
academic functioning of children. They may assist single
parents, arrange adoptions, or help find foster homes
for neglected, abandoned, or abused children. Some
specialize in services for senior citizens. These social
workers may run support groups for the children of aging
parents; advise elderly people or family members about
housing, transportation, long-term care, and other
services; and coordinate and monitor these services.
Through employee assistance programs, social workers may
help people cope with job-related pressures or with
personal problems that affect the quality of their work.
In schools, social workers often serve as the link
between students’ families and the school, working with
parents, guardians, teachers, and other school officials
to ensure students reach their academic and personal
potential. In addition, they address problems such as
misbehavior, truancy, and teenage pregnancy and advise
teachers on how to cope with difficult students.
Increasingly, school social workers teach workshops to
entire classes.
Child, family, and school social workers may also be
known as child welfare social workers, family services
social workers, child protective services social
workers, occupational social workers, or gerontology
social workers. They often work for individual and
family services agencies, schools, or State or local
governments.
Medical and public health social workers provide
psychosocial support to people, families, or vulnerable
populations so they can cope with chronic, acute, or
terminal illnesses, such as Alzheimer’s disease, cancer,
or AIDS. They also advise family caregivers, counsel
patients, and help plan for patients’ needs after
discharge from hospitals. They may arrange for at-home
services, such as meals-on-wheels or home care. Some
work on interdisciplinary teams that evaluate certain
kinds of patients—geriatric or organ transplant
patients, for example. Medical and public health social
workers may work for hospitals, nursing and personal
care facilities, individual and family services
agencies, or local governments.
Mental health and substance abuse social workers assess
and treat individuals with mental illness or substance
abuse problems, including abuse of alcohol, tobacco, or
other drugs. Such services include individual and group
therapy, outreach, crisis intervention, social
rehabilitation, and teaching skills needed for everyday
living. They also may help plan for supportive services
to ease clients’ return to the community. Mental health
and substance abuse social workers are likely to work in
hospitals, substance abuse treatment centers, individual
and family services agencies, or local governments.
These social workers may be known as clinical social
workers. (counselors and psychologists, who may provide
similar services, are discussed elsewhere in the
Handbook.)
Other types of social workers include social work
administrators, planners and policymakers, who develop
and implement programs to address issues such as child
abuse, homelessness, substance abuse, poverty, and
violence. These workers research and analyze policies,
programs, and regulations. They identify social problems
and suggest legislative and other solutions. They may
help raise funds or write grants to support these
programs.
Work environment. Social workers usually spend most of
their time in an office or residential facility, but
they also may travel locally to visit clients, meet with
service providers, or attend meetings. Some may meet
with clients in one of several offices within a local
area. Social work, while satisfying, can be challenging.
Understaffing and large caseloads add to the pressure in
some agencies. To tend to patient care or client needs,
many hospitals and long-term care facilities employ
social workers on teams with a broad mix of occupations,
including clinical specialists, registered nurses, and
health aides. Full-time social workers usually work a
standard 40-hour week, but some occasionally work
evenings and weekends to meet with clients, attend
community meetings, and handle emergencies. Some work
part time, particularly in voluntary nonprofit agencies.
Training, Other Qualifications, and Advancement
A bachelor’s degree is the minimum requirement for entry
into the occupation, but many positions require an
advanced degree. All States and the District of Columbia
have some licensure, certification, or registration
requirement, but the regulations vary.
Education and training. A bachelor’s degree in social
work (BSW) is the most common minimum requirement to
qualify for a job as a social worker; however, majors in
psychology, sociology, and related fields may qualify
for some entry-level jobs, especially in small community
agencies. Although a bachelor’s degree is sufficient for
entry into the field, an advanced degree has become the
standard for many positions. A master’s degree in social
work (MSW) is typically required for positions in health
settings and is required for clinical work as well. Some
jobs in public and private agencies also may require an
advanced degree, such as a master’s degree in social
services policy or administration. Supervisory,
administrative, and staff training positions usually
require an advanced degree. College and university
teaching positions and most research appointments
normally require a doctorate in social work (DSW or
Ph.D.).
As of 2006, the Council on Social Work Education
accredited 458 bachelor’s programs and 181 master’s
programs. The Group for the Advancement of Doctoral
Education listed 74 doctoral programs in social work (DSW
or Ph. D.) in the United States. Bachelor’s degree
programs prepare graduates for direct service positions,
such as caseworker, and include courses in social work
values and ethics, dealing with a culturally diverse
clientele and at-risk populations, promotion of social
and economic justice, human behavior and the social
environment, social welfare policy and services, social
work practice, social research methods, and field
education. Accredited programs require a minimum of 400
hours of supervised field experience.
Master’s degree programs prepare graduates for work in
their chosen field of concentration and continue to
develop the skills required to perform clinical
assessments, manage large caseloads, take on supervisory
roles, and explore new ways of drawing upon social
services to meet the needs of clients. Master’s programs
last 2 years and include a minimum of 900 hours of
supervised field instruction or internship. A part-time
program may take 4 years. Entry into a master’s program
does not require a bachelor’s degree in social work, but
courses in psychology, biology, sociology, economics,
political science, and social work are recommended. In
addition, a second language can be very helpful. Most
master’s programs offer advanced standing for those with
a bachelor’s degree from an accredited social work
program.
Licensure. All States and the District of Columbia have
licensing, certification, or registration requirements
regarding social work practice and the use of
professional titles. Although standards for licensing
vary by State, a growing number of States are placing
greater emphasis on communications skills, professional
ethics, and sensitivity to cultural diversity issues.
Most States require 2 years (3,000 hours) of supervised
clinical experience for licensure of clinical social
workers.
Other qualifications. Social workers should be
emotionally mature, objective, and sensitive to people
and their problems. They must be able to handle
responsibility, work independently, and maintain good
working relationships with clients and coworkers.
Volunteer or paid jobs as a social work aide can help
people test their interest in this field.
Certification and advancement. The National Association
of Social Workers offers voluntary credentials. Social
workers with a master’s degree in social work may be
eligible for the Academy of Certified Social Workers (ACSW),
the Qualified Clinical Social Worker (QCSW), or the
Diplomate in Clinical Social Work (DCSW) credential,
based on their professional experience. Credentials are
particularly important for those in private practice;
some health insurance providers require social workers
to have them in order to be reimbursed for services.
Advancement to supervisor, program manager, assistant
director, or executive director of a social service
agency or department usually requires an advanced degree
and related work experience. Other career options for
social workers include teaching, research, and
consulting. Some of these workers also help formulate
government policies by analyzing and advocating policy
positions in government agencies, in research
institutions, and on legislators’ staffs.
Some social workers go into private practice. Most
private practitioners are clinical social workers who
provide psychotherapy, usually paid for through health
insurance or by the client themselves. Private
practitioners must have at least a master’s degree and a
period of supervised work experience. A network of
contacts for referrals also is essential. Many private
practitioners split their time between working for an
agency or hospital and working in their private
practice. They may continue to hold a position at a
hospital or agency in order to receive health and life
insurance.
Source: Occupational Outlook Handbook
