References
- ↑ Jessica, Ritter (2014). 101 Careers in Social Work, p. 04, p. 27-265. Springer Publishing, NYC. ISBN 9780826129055.
Social work is work done to improve and protect the welfare of society. A social worker is a trained person who is paid to help solve or manage problems faced by individuals, families, groups, and communities.
Social workers are different from care workers in the social care sector. Care workers usually provide day-to-day support for people who cannot help themselves. Care workers usually need practical or certificate-level training. Social workers may need university degrees at different levels and in specialized areas to provide welfare and support services.
Training in social work may include economics, education, ethics, health, law, medicine, philosophy, politics, psychology, sociology, and science.
Over time, social work has changed. It was once mostly a religious and charitable activity. Today, it is more professional. It is now less of a private or volunteer activity and more of a paid occupation.
Social workers may do many kinds of work, including:
Social workers often have to solve problems that they were not fully trained for. Because these problems can have serious real-life consequences, the pressure to help people is often very high. This can make social work a demanding job, and some workers may experience occupational burnout.
Social workers may work with cases involving homelessness, long-term unemployment, lack of income, lack of health insurance, prison history, and substance abuse problems. These problems can be difficult to manage, especially when several of them happen together.
