Social workers
provide assistance and support to those in need.
A social worker helps people through their problems and also improves lives. She may work with people who are sick, homeless or having family troubles. She may also help students having problems in school. A social worker remains objective, while being compassionate to other people and their problems.
Types
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), three main types of social work exist: child, family and school social workers; medical and public health social workers; and mental and substance abuse social workers. Child, family and school social workers may work with abused or neglected children and help them find homes. Others work with adoptions. School social workers give students and teachers advice learning, behavior and social problems. Some social workers help entire families or work with the elderly.
Medical and public health social workers help those who are sick or have had chronic health problems; educate patients and families on deal with sickness; and find services to help, including nursing care or nutrition courses. Mental health and substance abuse social workers are sometimes called clinical social workers. These social workers help people with mental illness, troubling emotions, or drug and alcohol abuse.
Salary
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics May 2008 Occupational Employment Statistics Survey Program provides salary data for each type of social worker. Child, family and school social workers earned a national average rate of $20.73 per hour or $43,120 annually. Medical and public health social workers earned a national average rate of $22.87 per hour, or $47,560 annually. Mental health and substance abuse social workers earned an average salary of $19.05 per hour, or $39,630 annually.
Environment & Hours
According to the BLS, social workers typically spending much of their time in an office or a residential facility. These workers may travel locally to meet with clients, attend meetings or meet with service providers. Some may meet with clients in several different offices. Social workers typically work the standard 40-hour work weeks and may occasionally work nights and weekends to meet with clients and handle emergencies.
Education
According to the BLS, a bachelor's degree is the minimum requirement in social work. A bachelor's degree in social work is most common. However, majors in sociology, psychology and other related fields can be eligible for entry-level jobs. A master's degree in social work is required for many job openings, especially in health and school settings. A master's is required for clinical work. College, teaching and research positions often require a Ph.D. in social work. The Council of Social Work Education accredited 196 master's programs and 468 bachelor's programs in 2009. The Group for the Advanced of Doctoral Education accredited 74 social work doctoral programs. Four hundred hours of field experience is required for many accredited programs. All states require licensing for clinical social workers with most states requiring two years or 3,000 hours of supervised clinical experience. State requirements vary.
Outlook
According to the BLS, employment for social workers is projected to grow much faster than average at a rate of 16 percent through 2018. Job opportunities are expected to be favorable, particularly for those who work in rural areas or specialize in the elderly. The demand for health and social services will increase due to the growth of the aging population. Employment will also increase inside private social services agencies.
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