Children are unquestionably among the most vulnerable segments of our population. When they experience hardship, it’s because of someone else’s mistakes or poor decisions. Social workers are called on to step in during these difficult times.
The role will depend on the circumstances. There are social workers operating in schools to connect students with resources that can help at home and in their education. There are social workers in hospitals, foster care networks etc. The roles may differ, but the intention is the same. To help children thrive even during the most difficult times.
In this article, we take a look at how social workers can both help and empower children.
Social Works’ Role in Protecting Children
For many of us, it’s child welfare specialists that come to mind when we picture social workers. These professionals can usually get started with only a bachelor’s degree. They will serve as caseworkers. Their responsibility is to remove children from dangerous environments. Coordinate their care during probationary foster periods. Collaborate with the biological parents with the intention of establishing family reunification. When that isn’t possible the social worker is there to facilitate a smooth transition.
Obviously, this is very sad work, and full of frustration. Only about half of foster kids are reunited with their parents. Most kids who enter the system have a difficult path ahead of them. Only about 3% graduate from college—which of course is not an objective marker of success but nevertheless an enormous disparity from graduation rates experienced by the general population.
More troubling yet, half of all foster kids wind up in juvenile court. About 30% will experience homelessness at some point. Another 25% will spend time in jail during their adult lives. Research shows that foster youth are also at significantly higher risk for developing mental health issues, with over 80% showing symptoms of trauma-related conditions.
This, all to say, that social workers who choose to work with children have their work cut out for them. Not only do they need to accept the certainty of watching many children suffer, but they need to do it knowing that successful outcomes are largely an exception to the general rule. It takes a special kind of person to do this work day in and day out.
Do Children Need to Be in Jeopardy to See a Social Worker?
While social workers are generally brought in during difficult circumstances that isn’t always the case. Schools and hospitals are the most common environments where kids who are doing mostly well might run into a social worker. That doesn’t mean that every situation is desperate.
Consider the case of hypothetical preschooler Henry. Henry has a nice family. All of his immediate needs are met. Food. Shelter. Attention. Medicine when he needs it. In most areas of his life, Henry is doing very well. However, when it comes to school, he experiences high levels of anxiety. His parents are surprised to see him burst into tears at the mere sight of his classroom.
What’s going on here? Despite their best efforts, Mom and Dad can’t quite say. The school social worker can. After a few meetings, the social worker determines that there are no external problems. Just a little bit of natural worry at experiencing school for the first time.
She gives him a few techniques he can use to calm down, and within weeks, he’s doing much better.
Now, that same social worker might help behavior disorder kids reintegrate into gen-ed classrooms. Help homeless students find shelter and access to food. Help a student who recently lost her mother cope. The capacity for desperate situations is always there, but not every encounter they have with a child is an emergency.
What Does It Take to Become a Social Worker?
At the entry-level, all social workers begin with a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degree. This allows you to work in case management positions, community organizations, and some direct service roles helping vulnerable populations including children and families. Most states require this minimum qualification for entry-level positions in child welfare agencies.
However, a fairly high segment of the social worker population will go on to get their master’s degree. There are a couple of reasons for this. For one thing, if you want more responsibilities, you’ll need to get that advanced credential. This will not only increase your range of responsibilities but it will also raise your salary. Don’t get too excited. There is no degree that will bring a social worker up to the highest tax bracket. Still, it’s not a bad position to be in.
The bigger motivation behind getting a master’s degree is that it will allow you to get more niche. When working with children, an MSW (Master of Social Work) can qualify you for specialized roles such as school social worker, pediatric medical social worker, or clinical social worker. These specialized positions typically offer greater autonomy and the ability to provide more targeted interventions for the specific needs of children in different settings.
Conclusion
Are you interested in changing the lives of children? Social work isn’t easy but it is about as meaningful as a career can get. People are often scared away from the profession knowing that there is so much hardship involved. Remember that foster kids, sick kids, homeless kids, exist whether you are there to help them or not.
Yes, social workers experience failures all the time. Even despite this, they make the world a better place simply by doing their job. Are you interested in being a community hero? Consider a career in social work.
