Social Worker

A social worker is an individual who aims to help those people within society who have – for whatever reasons – an inability or a difficulty in dealing with issues or crises that see them excluded from society. Social workers can carry out their duties in a variety of different locations and settings ranging from a client’s home their school, hospital or other public sector organisation.

Who Social Workers Commonly Deal With

For the most part a social worker’s clients will be younger individuals and their families and here are some of the most common groups who need the assistance and intervention of a social worker:

• Young offenders
• Individuals with learning difficulties
• Young people with behavioural difficulties
• Drug and alcohol addicts
• Pupils with high levels of truancy
• Elderly individuals
• Individuals with mental health issues

The role of social worker is to offer practical and emotional support to anyone in any of the aforementioned categories and to do so objectively and without prejudice. This is very important as many look to social workers as a means of alleviating their concerns without burdening loved ones or family members and also without feeling embarrassed or concerned about the information they impart.

What a Social Worker Does

A social worker may often find that their role requires them to do several of the following on a daily basis in order to provide assistance to their clients as well as the other health and social care groups who may also be trying to help.

• Interviewing clients and families to understand the nature of their problems
• Offer support and counselling to clients and their families
• Write assessments, which may be used to provide other health and social care bodies with a more detailed insight into an individual’s problems and needs
• Provide evidence in a court environment (depending on the nature of the client’s problems and also their needs)
• Liasing with other agencies especially in instances of child welfare or psychiatric treatment
• Liasing with medical staff regarding the duty and nature of medical help and intervention

Again not an exhaustive list but one which goes some way to understanding just what a social worker has and does do on an almost daily basis.

Also – as we have already touched upon – a social worker is someone who can simply provide a sympathetic and impartial ear for someone who is having difficulty dealing with problems within the family unit.

Becoming a Social Worker

University study is required in order to qualify as a social worker. This can either be in the form of a degree course in social work or as a post graduate course once an initial degree has been obtained.

A qualified social worker is required by law to register with the General Social Care Council (GSCC). This council offers advice and support for its members and also the means to study and pursue further career enhancing qualifications once an individual has qualified and registered as a social worker.

One way in which this might be done is to participate in the Post-Qualifying Award in Social Work (PQSW) or the Advanced Award in Social Work (AASW). Both of these schemes are brought into play once a social worker has qualified and involve the social worker taking on additional studies as well as work placements for both government bodies and private employees.

These schemes are designed to enhance a social worker’s learning and also their work experience so that they may employ new methods of helping their clients whatever their backgrounds.

Within the social care arena an individual who has qualified as a social worker can opt to concentrate their efforts on dealing with children or the elderly or those with psychological and behavioural disorders and there are career enhancing qualifications available to help one achieve their place in their chosen field.

For more information on how to become a social worker you can contact the General Social Care Council or your local social services.