There are a lot of different types of paper work that social workers will have to do throughout their career. Some of the paper work that social workers do are research papers, documentation, case notes, and interviews.
According to "naswpress.org" note taking was used in the past and record keeping was after the 70's. In 1930 went from note taking to process recordings, which was an attempt to document all that was going on. By 1950, analytic and selective recordings were used to show the boss or supervisor how each case was handled and approached. There are six primary functions for social work documentation. These functions are assessment/planning, service delivery, continuity/coordination, supervision, service evaluation, availability to clients.
According to "socialworkers.org" record keeping is needed to provide care and recognition to their clients and for defending purposes. "In the absence of specific social work laws, determining how long to maintain social work records may involve an awareness of clinical practice requirements, parallel laws for related professions, and the statue of limitations for lawsuits that may be filed against social workers as a result of their professional activities."
Writing Style for Soocial Work
By Tammy Stevens on May 2, 2016 at 11:30am
A writing style that is used in the social work profession
is APA (American Psychological Association). Using APA format is a great way to
organize a paper. APA can be used in social work when you do research,
interviews, and case notes.
When you cite references for social work using APA you put
the author, year, and title of the article. If you do not cite where you found
information it is plagiarizing. It is important to put the citations in
alphabetical order.
APA format helps make your paper neat and professional. To
learn how to write APA you can use "owl.english.purdue.edu". This
shows you how to cite many different genres of writing such as articles,
journals, websites, and books. According to "apastyle.org" APA helps to express the key elements of quantitative results, choose the graphic form that will best suit the analyses, report critical details of reasearch, and describes individuals with accuracy and respect.
Common writing tasks that a social work major will have to do is critical review of a book, article, or the literature. All of these will need APA. No matter what kind of writing you do as a social worker you will need to use APA.
Yes there are many other writing formats but each profession uses different ones for different reasons. APA is the best one to use for social work. Video!!!
There are many different ages social workers may work with such as elderly, children, and adults. Social workers can help elderly with clinical interventions, service interventions, and advocacy. When doing clinical intervention social workers might provide therapy for their client if they are feeling lonely or depressed. A social worker may have the elderly client do activities like arranging group outings. To help their client cope with aging they might have them record their life story.
Service interventions can provide aid to the elderly client too. The social worker helps their clients apply for appropriate services that they will benefit them and the social worker helps get rid of any unwanted problems in the services that are provided. Geriatric social workers are needed because the amount of elderly people are increasing.
Advocacy is another way in which elderly can be assisted. Social workers will help stop elderly abuse and is by law mandated to report any suspicious behavior of elder abuse to Adult Protective Services.
According to "aoa.gov" "people age 65+ represented 12.4% of the population in 2000 and are expected to grow to be 19% of the population by 2030, totaling about 72.1 million older persons." This is great news for social workers wanting to work with elderly people. If this population o people are growing more social workers in this field will be needed.
Taking care of our elders is very important. Social workers help elderly by gathering information about services that are available to them, coordinate care for many health systems, and help them deal with difficult government programs. Geriatric social workers also provide counseling services so the elderly can cope with every day life. According to "griswoldhomecare.com" counseling can make it a lot easier for the elderly to transition from their home to a nursing home or other care. Geriatric social workers can specialize in locating and connecting concrete resources such as: visiting nurse service, hospice care, aide service, transportation, housekeeping, lists of residential care agencies, nursing homes, the local Area Agency on Aging programs.
By Tammy Stevens on April 20, 2016 at 11:24am
What you may deal with as a social worker:
Abused children
Substance abuse
Single moms
Domestic Violence
Mental illness
Child abuse is a physical, cruel mistreatment of a child. According to "americanhumane.org" child abuse can take place in many different forms and each one has different percentages. These are the percentages of children who experienced maltreatment in 2005:
Neglect 62.8%
Physical abuse 16.6%
Sexual abuse 9.3%
Emotional/psychological abuse 7.1%
Medical neglect 2.0%
Other 14.3%
"In 2001, more than 903,000 children suffered
from abuse or neglect, representing a rate of 12.4 maltreated children for every
1,000 children in the general population and nearly one-third of these children
were younger than three." Knowing this information makes you realize how many innocent children are abused. "naswdc.org" goes more in depth about abused children. This website also has recommendations for working with abused children as a social worker which can be really helpful.
Working with abused children is not easy because they have had a traumatic experience. Abused children could have physical health concerns, development issues, scarring and permanent damage, and interpersonal and intrapersonal issues. These are few of the many other problems that an abused child can have.
VIDEO!!!!
Domestic abuse is another concern that social workers deal with. Domestic violence is abusive behavior by one intimate partner against another this can include: physical violence, sexual violence, psychological violence, and emotional abuse. Domestic abuse can happen to anyone no matter race, background, or culture. There are many signs of a domestic abusive relationship according to "helpguide.org". These signs include:
Your partner has a violent behavior
Your partner is controlling
Your partner belittles you
If anyone is having these problems or other ones mentioned on this website they should seek help immediately. Social workers want to do all they can to help their clients in domestic violence and other types of situations like mental illness.
Mental Illness has a wide range of mental conditions this can affect your mood, thinking, and behavior. Some mental illness examples include depression, anxiety disorders, schizophrenia, eating disorders, and addictive behaviors. Complications that people with a mental illness can have are legal and financial problems, poverty/homelessness, and self harm/ harm to others. Mental illnesses can cause many problems in your daily life such as school, work, or in relationships. Some mental illnesses can be treated with medication and psychotherapy. According to "newsweek.com" 42.5 million (18.2%) adults in the U.S. suffer from a mental illness every year whether its depression, bipolar disorder, or schizophrenia. Social workers who work with mentally ill clients do psycho social assessments. In order for a social worker to work with severe mental ill clients they need to have a masters degree.
Being a social worker is hard work and has many different situations that are not easy to deal with. Some difficulties can be that the job is dangerous, you don't get paid well, and it is emotionally draining. Not all social workers have to deal with danger but in some social work field you may have to. Social workers who work with inmates or violent individuals deal with dangerous situations a lot. Since social workers in this field work so closely with their client they can sometimes put themselves in harm. All social workers should be cautious no matter what field they work in. With all the hard work and time that social workers put into their job you would think they might get paid well but that is not true. Salary all depends on what field you work in and the state you are working for. Even the highest salary still is not enough for what a social worker should be making. Social workers can become emotionally drained from the type of work they do. Sometimes social workers are unable to help individuals or the individual is unwilling to let you help them in the way you want to. When resources a client needs is not available it can be upsetting or even disappointing because you want to assist your client in anyway possible. In this profession a social worker is constantly dealing with challenges which makes it hard to keep the ability to have hope. Although there are some negatives to working as a social worker there are many postives too. If you visit "thenest.com" you can see what the cons are in the social work profession.
The pros of being a social worker are: you can work in different fields, the workplace is flexible, and you have the ability to make a difference . Some fields a social worker can work in include DCF(Department of Children & Families), Mental health, Adoption, and Drug abuse. These and many other fields in social work give the social worker freedom on choosing what best interests them, which leads into having a flexible workplace. Since a social worker is able to choose the field they want to go into, this allows them to help others in a way that is most meaningful to them. No one wants to work a job that they don't have an interest in and by choosing your field you have the ability to make a difference in someones life. There are not many jobs in which you get to make a difference and help others, but with this profession you can. Helping those in need is what a social worker is able to do on a daily basis. Working as a social worker is very rewarding and has a different motivation than other jobs. By visiting the website "work.chron.com" you can learn more about pros of being a social worker. Video!!!!
There are different types of social work positions. This depends on the people and the setting you want to work in. Social workers can work in a school, hospital, mental health, and substance abuse setting. Each of these jobs have there own difficulties and there own rewards. More social work positions can be found on "socialworklicensemap.com".
Social workers who work in mental health play a role in addressing and treating metal health issues. These social workers have an opportunity to help improve on their clients lives. Social workers who provide mental health services are required to be licensed by which ever state they are practicing in. If the social worker is proving therapy they are required to have a masters degree. A social worker working in this type of setting can experience trauma or even emotional stress helping clients manage difficult situations. Social workers make sure that the mentally ill get the care they need. Since the number of individuals diagnosed with a mental illness keeps rising, more social workers in this field are needed. You can read about what a social worker in mental health on "careerinpsychology.org". Social workers are needed in other fields too such as in a hospital setting.
Usually the activities a social worker working in a hospital varies. Social workers working in a hospital setting looks over a patients social, emotional, financial, and support needs. A social worker working in a hospital not only works with the patient, but with the patients family too. The social worker makes a plan for care of the patient his or her home or living arrangement. To work as a social worker in a hospital you are required to have a masters degree. The social worker needs to make sure that a patient needs is in place before the patient is discharged. The types of people who could benefit from the care of this type of social worker are people with chronic degenerative illnesses; the terminally ill; people with mental illness; transplant patients;, homeless people; people with multiple social, financial, emotional, and housing problems. There are many other positions in which social workers play a huge roll in.
By watching the video below from "youtube.com" you will learn about what a social worker in a school setting does.
A school social worker helps parents, students, and the school staff identify the problem that is interfering with the students learning. Once they figure out what the interference is they provide services the student needs. Social workers in the school setting not only work with special education students, but with other students too. They help students resolve social, emotional, and behavioral problems. School social workers help in many different areas and are only one of many other social workers who make a huge difference in peoples lives.
Why it is better to have a Masters degree in social work?
By Tammy Stevens on April 12, 2016 at 9:25am
The higher degree you have the better off you will be in your social work career. The higher your degree is the more choices you will have. Yes, you will also make more money when you get a higher degree. Supporting yourself and your family is extremely important and by going for your masters degree you will not only have more job choices, but you will also make more money. By visiting "socialworklicensure.org" it tells you more about receiving a higher degree in social work.
There are many different reasons why people should get a masters degree in social work such as; Increase in job opportunities, higher salary, possible promotions, and to learn. Increase in job opportunities only happens with higher degrees and you only get this opportunity with positions where you are more likely to have a large impact in your clients lives. The second reason to get a masters degree is for a higher salary. According to "careerealism.com" "In 2009, social workers holding MSWs made an average of $15,000 more per year than their counterparts without advanced degrees." This is pretty good for social workers since they do not get paid a lot as it is. Another reason is because you can have possible promotions. Promotions are important because you can work higher up in your career which will then lead to you getting paid better. The last reason to get a masters degree in social work is to learn. Taking classes to get your masters is important because it can help you earn knowledge that you did not have about the social work career before. You also learn about the training you can receive and what you can do with it. Most people do not want to take the time to get there masters degree because it is more work, but in the end it is worth it.
A social worker with a BSW on average gets paid $46,438-$58,834 depending on a variety of factors. This amount of pay is not too bad but a social worker with an MSW gets paid $53,482-$65,790 as of March 24,2016. More information on the salary of a social worker can be found on "salary.com". Depending on what job you choose in social work the salary may vary. Each social work job is different and in every state the salary is different.
This video I found on "youtube.com" talks about the salary for social workers and how much it is suppose to expand from now until 2020. By watching this video you can learn about the jobs in social work and what each of the salaries are. You will notice how they will differ from each other.
There are many steps in becoming a social worker.When going through the process of being a social worker you need to have training such as working 2-3 years under supervision after graduation, internships, and even some community service.
Steps on how to become a social worker!
In order to be a social worker you need to earn a bachelors degree, considerate graduate school, become licensed, and obtain employment. Each one of these steps has importance and if you are considering becoming a social worker they should e taken seriously. By visiting "study.com" you can see all the explanations for proper steps on becoming a social worker.
You need to be licensed or have a BSW(Bachelors degree in Social Work) or MSW(Masters degree in Social Work) but in order to receive these degrees you have to go to school. For undergraduates social work education the states require that social workers receive a BSW. The states require an MSW for graduates of social work. You can find out more about what type of education you need in order to become a social worker by visiting this website "socialworklicensemap.com".
How many years of School Do you need?
The number of years a social worker goes to school for depends on the individuals goals and career interests. If you want a masters degree it requires about two years beyond the bachelors degree. It varies for many different people because not everyone studying to be a social work wants their MSW. It may take some people longer to get the right education to become a social worker. It all depends on you individually.
The difference between MSW and BSW:
A BSW is the undergraduate social work degree. For this degree it includes classroom work and fieldwork. To receive a BSW during your undergraduate you need follow a carer at a four year college or university. An MSW gets you ready for more advanced social work positions. This degree is required for social workers who provide therapy in clinical settings.
Social work is work carried out by trained personnel with the aim of alleviating the conditions of those in need of help or welfare. According to "cosw.sc.edu" "The main goal of being a social worker is to improve a society's overall well-being, especially for the most vulnerable populations." Social workers also help people or groups identify their problems. Other social workers may choose to work with communities, organizations, or governments. The social work profession is interesting because there are a variety of fields.
This practice requires knowledge of human development and behavior. Social workers help people of all backgrounds. Social workers also assist people overcoming challenges such as: discrimination, poverty, addiction, divorce, unemployment, disability and mental illness, and educational problems. Social workers frequently tackled poverty in modern social work. Social workers came to the aid of veterans who had been traumatized during World War I. Many veterans came home from war with a disability and mental problems and were left with nothing, which resulted in them being poor. Although they have done a lot with veterans, social workers also gave an equal amount of support to the sick and disadvantaged. Being a social worker is not easy and there is a lot of hard work that goes into the job.
When going into the social work profession, you are required to have a license. If you want to make a higher salary you would need a BSW(Bachelors degree) or an MSW(Masters degree). The better degree you have the more you can do.
According to "socialworklicensure.org" "A NASW report. based on a large scale survey, found far greater job satisfaction among social workers employed in child welfare than what has been reported for child welfare workers as a whole. Social workers were more likely to report sufficient professional development and adequate meeting time with supervisors. They also tended to have smaller, more manageable caseloads-and better pay. Social workers did report a number of job stresses, but tended to focus more on the plight of families they served than their own working conditions." Although social workers do not get paid a ton, I think it is good for people wanting to pursue a career in social work to know about better paying fields of work.
Hi! I'm Tammy. I am currently a freshman at Salem State University and am studying to be a social worker. I first became interested in becoming a social worker when I did community service in High School. The community service groups that I had joined got involved with autistic children and adults, children in poverty, and the elderly. This made me want to get involved more and continue to do good for the community as a career. At first I wanted to be a teacher but shortly realized that teaching is not what I wanted to do. I love working with kids but I did not want to teach. I wanted something more, so I looked into other jobs and saw the job description for a social worker. I knew that it would be so rewarding to help children in need even though it would not be easy. I saw that DCF(Department of Children and Families) had been the job I wanted. By working for DCF I can get the opportunity to work with not only children, but with families too.
Is Being A Social Worker Right For you?
There are many responsibilities in becoming a social worker.With these responsibilities comes a lot of hard work. You need to take certain courses in order to become a social worker such as SWK(social work) 101 and SWK 102 along with many other classes. In each class you learn different things about social work and what a social worker does. Some people can't handle this type of job because of how hard it is or because it is too emotional or stressful. The link to the video above gives you pros and cons on why you should or shouldn't become a social worker. This video is good for someone in high school or college. Some people can't handle this type of job because of how hard it is or because it is too emotional or stressful.
Each state has a different salary for social workers. Depending on what you want to do as a social worker the salary may differ. Some states pay higher than others and some lower. The link above shows by job what state pays the highest. This is good to know if you want to make more money in the social work field. You can look at each states salary by going to "socialworklicensemap.com".
Social workers can go into different areas such as: working in a hospital, school systems, elderly care, physical abuse, drug addict, etc. Each of these areas have their own difficulties but can be rewarding at times. The link I have provided above shows the different types of social work areas that may interest you. On the website "socialworklicensure.org" it talks more about the types of social work jobs.
