Social workers are important persons in the community because their work is needed by hospitals, schools, and local social service agencies. Social workers’ duties include finding families in need and identifying certain problems they have, developing effective strategies to assist those in need, collaborating with school officials and those in the healthcare field, speaking with law enforcement officials if necessary on behalf of their clients, conducting research on local and state resources that will assist clients, and dealing with cases of domestic violence, child abuse and elder abuse.

Where Social Workers Can Be Found

You will find social workers at state social services departments, hospitals, schools, group homes for children, nursing homes, drug rehabilitation centers, correctional facilities and universities. It largely depends on which area of social work he is involved in. If a social worker is interested in helping abused children locate better families, he is likely to be employed by government agencies. Social workers conduct most of their duties in office settings but there are also times when they have to visit homes and institutions to work on cases. The hours are also long and many social workers experience burnout due to the high volume of caseloads.

How You Can Enter Social Work

Aside from a bachelors degree in social work or a related major such as sociology or education, you’ll also need a masters degree if you seek an advanced degree in this field. For those planning to enter a collegiate teaching career in social work, a doctoral degree is needed. Once you obtain your degrees you must apply for a license to practice social work in your state and generally an exam is required to get your license. It also helps to intern at state social services agencies while you’re in college and volunteer with nonprofits that help needy families.

Average Salaries

A social worker’s salary varies depending on the location, years of experience you have, educational background and any additional certification you may have. On average a social worker could earn between $44,000 and $71,000 annually. Social workers in education settings earn $54,000 annually while social workers in healthcare could earn $36,000 per year.

In conclusion, the outlook for social workers is good due to the rising needs of the elderly, families in crisis, low-income residents, those with mental illness and children. Social work is an excellent field for those who have compassion and who see their work as a way to make a difference in the community.