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WORKING IN COMMUNITY SERVICES & DEVELOPMENT

Working as a Social Worker

A social worker helps people to deal with the challenges of their lives with the aim of helping them to solve these problems or arrange coping strategies so they can live their daily lives as best as possible. Social workers also diagnose and treat mental, behavioural and emotional problems.

The kind of work a social worker can do depends on the type of client they work with. They help with everything from adopting children to diagnosing incurable diseases to mental health problems and mental illnesses.

Child and family...

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WORKING IN COMMUNITY SERVICES & DEVELOPMENT

Working as a Social Worker

A social worker helps people to deal with the challenges of their lives with the aim of helping them to solve these problems or arrange coping strategies so they can live their daily lives as best as possible. Social workers also diagnose and treat mental, behavioural and emotional problems.

The kind of work a social worker can do depends on the type of client they work with. They help with everything from adopting children to diagnosing incurable diseases to mental health problems and mental illnesses.

Child and family social workers help vulnerable families, protect vulnerable children and intervene when children are at risk of being neglected or abused. They help families to find housing, services and childcare, apply for social benefits and food stamps, arrange adoption, find foster families, help foster families to find accommodation for children with special needs, care for children and foster parents as well as foster and adoptive families.  An incredibly demanding position, both physically and emotionally.

School social workers work with teachers, parents and principals to develop plans and strategies to improve student performance and social development. Students and their families may also be referred to a social worker to resolve issues such as depression, anxiety, substance abuse or other mental health issues. In community practice, they work with other social workers and psychologists to develop and implement programs for children and adolescents in schools and communities.

Healthcare social workers help patients understand their diagnosis and make informed decisions about their treatment options. They help doctors and other healthcare professionals understand the mental health needs of patients and their families. For example, they can help people who have been alerted to a diagnosis of mental illness, such as depression or anxiety Social workers can work in self-help groups to advise and support the patient in coping with their  illness or illness.

Geriatric social workers help seniors and their families with their health and financial needs. They help their clients find programs that offer older adults meals and home care. They can work with older adults in any environment and provide services such as nursing homes, assisted living and aged care programs.  They help clients and their families to make decisions about where they live, when and if they are no longer able to take care of themselves.

Hospital social workers help patients and their families by connecting them with resources in the hospital and in their own community. Social workers in this environment find and offer services such as support groups and counsellors to help the patient and his family cope with the illness themselves.

Clinical social workers, also called licensed clinical social workers, diagnose and treat mental, behavioural and emotional disorders, including anxiety and depression. Clients are referred to them and can develop treatment plans with their clients and, if necessary, adapt them to their progress.  Many clinical social workers work in established practices, and in this environment they also perform administrative tasks such as keeping records and working with insurance companies to obtain payment for their services.

How to become a Social Worker

While most social workers require a bachelor's degree in social work, clinical social workers must have at least two years of supervised clinical experience in a clinical setting. They must also be licensed in the state where they practice.

The Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) is a bachelor degree in social work which teaches students experience across the social work spectrum.  Social workers can take their education a step further by undertaking a Master's programme in Social Work, this can often help to prepare students for work in their chosen field by developing clinical assessment and management skills. Most programmes require students to complete supervised on-site traineeships.

After completing the supervised clinical experience, clinical social workers must pass a clinical trial to be licensed. To become a licensed clinical social worker, you must have at least two years of supervised clinical experience.

Some universities offer doctoral programmes in the field of social work, where students can obtain a doctorate in social work. Most doctoral programmes in social work require a bachelor's degree in social work and a master's or doctorate.Some doctoral students will later work in the education of other social workers. 

The ability to work with different groups of people is crucial for a social worker, and you need strong skills to foster healthy and productive relationships with your clients and colleagues. Social workers need to develop a strong understanding of their clients needs and desires. In order to help and care for several clients at the same time, social workers need to be familiar with handling a number of administrative tasks, and they need to use their time effectively to provide an appropriate service to their clients.

As clients talk to social workers about the challenges in their lives, and the social worker must in turn be good listeners. Social workers often work with people who are in stressful or difficult situations. In order to help effectively, social workers need to be able to listen to and understand the needs of their clients.  To build a strong relationship, you need to have compassion and empathy for your customers and respect for their feelings and needs.

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