Occupation of a Social Worker Kimberly Whitfield HHS497: Health & Human Services Daniel Villa July 12, 2012
Table of Contents
* Introduction to Social Workers * Careers * What a Social Worker Does * Education Requirements * Work Settings * Culturally competent work with diverse populations * Career development * Future alternatives * Conclusion * References
Introduction to the life of a Social Worker;
Social work is a profession devoted to helping
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Information the social worker gathers can help inform the rest of the client’s healthcare team, as well as inform them about how best to treat their illness, manage the disease, and even how they can best interact with the client. They can even help the client weave their way through the healthcare system and find local resources to help the client manage day-to-day life. [ (Careers, 2006) ]
Education Requirements
According to College Board, social workers are required to have a minimum of a bachelor’s degree. Acceptable bachelor’s degree programs for entry level jobs include the bachelor’s degree in social work (BSW), as well as sociology, psychology and related fields. However, most jobs will require a master’s in social work (MSW). The Council on Social Work Education recognized 467 bachelor’s programs and 196 master’s programs in June 2009. Accredited bachelor’s degree programs require a minimum of 400 hours of supervised experience, whereas master’s degree programs require 900 hours of supervised experience. [ (CollegeBoard.org, 2012) ]
As NHS Careers stated “There are various routes to becoming a social worker, but you will need to gain a professional qualification in social work (usually at degree level) either on a full-time or part-time basis. This is offered at undergraduate and
There are several goals that I hope to achieve by pursuing a graduate degree in Social Work. Pursuing a MSW will provide me with the knowledge, tools, and skills-set that will be fundamental to the achievement my career goals outlined below.
Working in the social services field was always my dream. Whether working with children, family, adults, elderly etc. this career path is so broad it instills the hope of a career opportunity. My first year working in this field was in 2010 when I interned as an intake specialist in an outpatient drug treatment facility, while completing my bachelor’s degree in human services. Thereafter, I was able to branch off in various areas such as a case manager at a domestic violence shelter, housing specialist, substance abuse counselor and now a family services specialist.
While a bachelor’s degree is usually not required for entry into this occupation, employers increasingly seek individuals with relevant work experience beyond high school certificates. Associate degrees in subjects such as social work, human services, gerontology, or one of the social or behavioral sciences meet most employer’s requirements. Some jobs may require a bachelor’s or master’s degree in human services or a related field such as counseling, rehabilitation, or social work.
In order to become a licensed social worker in the United States, one must hold at least a Bachelor’s in Social Work (BSW) from an accredited program. With a BSW or a degree in a related field, the individual is able to provide the most basic of services to their clients such as casework or being a mental health assistant (U.S. Bureau Labor Statistics, 2016). However, in order to provide clinical mental and behavioral health services, a Master’s in
Social Care Worker plans and provides professional individual or group care to clients with personal and social needs”. (Share, 2009).
A liscensed clinical social worker(LSCW) must have a master degree in the field and also meet
To be a social worker you must complete 4 year post secondary undergraduate program are expected to complete 120 semester credits or 40 college courses. Must take 3 science semesters,2 foreign language,3 math credits,4 english,3 history to be a social worker.You must have good social skills around people.They can make the road a little better and help.They try to help you cope with different solutions for your problems in life.
The Bachelor of Social Work degree is more than just a qualification in my eyes. It goes beyond receiving a title or a piece of paper at the end of my schooling. Social Work is a career where you do not only learn how to help others, you also learn how to help yourself. I am excited to learn new ways to enhance my self-awareness and mindfulness. I am confident that I will be more comfortable with articulating my own thoughts and emotions throughout this experience. I know how important it is to build relationships and make connections during school.
Social workers meet in an office, hospital or school setting. Our text states, the focus of social workers is helping individuals, families, and groups cope with a wide variety of problems (2015). Social workers can work as a case manager, keeping records, files, and different types of documents and referrals for their client. They will take notes, make plans and keep the clients needs and choices in the clients hands, making sure they are respected and valued at all times. Social workers will network and work with others to ensure the client’s needs are being meet. The Occupational Outlook Quarterly states, a social worker also acts as an advocate for clients and refers them to other resources (2011). Their tasks vary and are similar to many other jobs in the field. The educational requirements are a bachelor’s degree to start, and require masters for positions in mental health or administration (Woodside & McClam, 2015). According to Human Services Career Network, This position interviews, coordinates, and plans programs and activities to meet the social and emotional needs of their clients. Works with the client to utilize community resources to meet individualized needs of the client. Typically reports to a senior case manager or director (2005). Social workers work with all populations, range from individual to group, from young to elderly and special needs. The average salary according to the Occupational Outlook is $44,200 per
To become a social worker in any state, you are required to have at least a bachelor's degree for entry-level positions. A Bachelor of Social Work is usually the minimum educational requirement for beginning your career as a social worker. More advanced practitioners need higher levels of education and professional licensure. Many states require applicants to take standardized examinations administered by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB); though, some states require their own examinations in addition to or in place of ASWB
Social work to many serves as an industry where the public helps the poor and only the poor to succeed in life. When as a matter of fact social work not only helps the poor, but also helps anyone who needs it such as children, soldiers, people with special needs, etc. There many different agencies and programs within social work. These agencies and programs are funded by the government and/or by a non-profit organization. In order to, be a social worker a person needs to have the ambition to help others, without this characteristic the person will fail to succeed in any field.
Although there are many different educational directions someone can take to become a social worker. Higher positions usually require a master's degree which takes about two years to complete. Every US state requires that you have a clinical license if you decide to do a mental branch of social working. I plan on receiving a bachelor's degree, and possibly a masters, in sociology or social work. To get this degree, I will more than likely attend the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. The average in-state cost per year to attend UNL including books, tuition, and room/board is $24,840. However, my mother works at UNL so I am lucky enough to get a portion of my tuition paid for. After college I hope to move to
In a normal school, Social work masters degrees are a qualification program that's available to students who are buying a way to boost their career. Those that sign up for Social work masters degrees programs must, at some true point, decide the precise area of social work they'll give attention to and the precise group they'll focus on in their job, whether it is specific types of people, agencies or groups.
To be in this field of work, a proper education is required. The Child Care Career Book says “a masters degree in social work is needed if this person would like to go into the mental health, research, or supervisory positions”. It also states that, “A doctorate id required for teaching and desirable for some research and administrative jobs”. Also a social worker at my school said
It is generally recognised that the current two year qualifying programme for social workers can only deliver limited specialist training (Lowe & Weinstein 2000), however the development of the ASW programme provides a useful framework for understanding statutory functions (Manktelow et al 2002). A number of