Social Worker Job Description

Social workers essential career information:

2011 median pay: $53,900
2011, number of jobs: 63,110
Employment growth forecast, 2010-2020: 25 percent
Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree

Social workers; what they do:

Social workers help individuals, families and children with interpersonal, social, medical and financial issues. Social workers fall into two main categories: direct-service social workers or clinical social workers.

Direct-services social workers offer support and guidance to individuals dealing with everyday problems and issues. The social worker assesses the client’s needs, personal situation, and ultimate goals, then develops a plan to improve the person’s well being and begin steps toward accomplishing their goal.

Examples of common issues a direct-services social worker may help an individual deal with include illness, divorce and unemployment. They also respond to natural disasters and cases of child abuse. A direct-services social worker career includes researching local resources, such as food stamps, child care, and health care in order to inform their client and help them apply for any community resources which may benefit them.

A clinical social worker, or licensed clinical social worker, diagnoses and treats mental, behavioral, and emotional disorders such as anxiety and depression. Clinical social workers collaborate with their client, doctors, and other healthcare professionals to create a treatment plan for their client. A clinical social worker career may include teaching clients how to change destructive patterns and better cope with situations in a healthy way.

Clinical social workers may lead therapy sessions for individuals, groups, couples, or families. Other times, clinical social workers will refer a client to other resources, services, or support groups.

Clinical social workers may work in private practices, in a group practice with other healthcare professionals, or in a solo practice.

Some professionals in the field specialize and work as a medical social worker, licensed clinical social worker or healthcare social worker.

Direct-service social workers and clinical social workers typically focus on a specific expertise, such as child and family, school, healthcare, the elderly, hospice or palliative care, or mental health and substance abuse.
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Social Workers job titles:

Community Support Worker
Family Service Worker
Child Social Worker
School Social Worker
Child and Family Social Worker
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker
Gerontological Social Worker
Hospice and Palliative Social Worker

Social Workers Education, Certification and License Requirements

Education requirements vary for social workers, depending on the type of social worker career they seek. Direct-service social workers generally need a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degree, however degrees in a related field such as a Bachelor of Psychology or Bachelor of Sociology are good foundations for graduate work. Clinical social workers need a Master of Social Work (MSW) as well as a state license.

Social worker degree programs cover subjects such as:

Anthropology
Human behavior
Social welfare
Psychopharmacology
Psychology

All states have licensure requirements for social workers, although those requirements vary by state. Clinical social workers are required to have a state license in all cases except occasional positions in government agencies.

Licenses for nonclinical social workers are available in most states and considered optional.
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Social Workers Job Outlook

Forecast: 25 percent employment growth for social workers from 2010 to 2020, faster than the average for all occupations. Growth is primarily due to an increased demand for health care and social services.

Forecast: 20 percent employment growth for social workers focused on child, family, and school. These social workers investigate child abuse cases and help place children in appropriate foster care. However, budget constraints in all levels of government are expected to limit some growth in this area.

Forecast: 34 percent employment growth for healthcare social workers.

Social Workers Salary

2011 median annual wage: $53,900
2011, workers at the 75th percentile annual wage: $68,000
2011, workers at the 25% percentile annual wage: $39,210

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Major Employers

Hospitals and clinics
Nursing Homes
Community mental health clinics
Private practices
State and local governments
Schools
Colleges and universities
Substance abuse clinics
Military bases and hospitals

Social Workers Education, Certification and License Requirements

Social Workers Job Outlook

Social Workers Salary

Major Employers

Related Degrees