Social work facts for kids

Social work is a special job and a field of study that helps people, families, groups, and communities. Social workers aim to improve everyone's well-being. They help people meet their basic needs and live better lives.

Social work uses ideas from many subjects. These include psychology (how people think), sociology (how societies work), and economics (how money and resources are used). Social workers use this knowledge to understand problems and find solutions. Their main goals are to make people's lives better, help with personal challenges, and work for social justice. This means making sure everyone is treated fairly.

Social work happens at different levels.

• Micro-work means working directly with individuals and families. For example, a social worker might offer advice or help a family find services.
• Mezzo-work involves working with groups and communities. This could be leading a support group or helping local agencies.
• Macro-work focuses on bigger changes. This includes speaking up for people (advocacy) or helping to create new rules and programs.

The social work profession started in the 1800s. Before that, people helped others through charities or religious groups. The Industrial Revolution and the Great Depression in the 1930s created many new problems. Social workers stepped in to help with poverty and child welfare. This helped social work become a more organized and important field.

What is Social Work?

Social work is a wide-ranging job that connects with many other areas. Here are some ways different groups describe it:

• The International Federation of Social Workers says social work helps people change and grow. It builds strong communities and helps people feel free and powerful. It's all about fairness, human rights, and respecting differences.
• The Canadian Association of Social Workers describes social work as helping individuals, families, and communities. It helps people use their skills and community resources to solve problems. Social workers deal with personal issues and bigger problems like poverty or violence.
• The British Association of Social Workers explains that social workers help individuals and families improve their lives. This might mean protecting vulnerable people or helping others live on their own. They support people, speak up for them, and connect them to services. Social workers often work with doctors and teachers.

History of Social Work

A Marylebone slum in the 19th century

Modern social work grew from a few main ideas.

• Helping individuals: In the mid-1800s, groups like the Charity Organization Society (COS) in London started helping people one by one. They focused on understanding each person's situation.
• Helping with poverty: There were also efforts to help people who were poor. Laws like the English Poor Laws in the 1600s tried to organize this help.
• Making big changes: The Settlement House Movement focused on improving whole communities. Instead of just helping one person, they worked to change social conditions and reduce poverty for many.

All these efforts grew quickly in the 1800s. They created the foundation for how social work is done today. Social work began in 19th century England. It was a response to the big changes from the Industrial Revolution. This period led to a lot of poverty in cities. Because of this, early social work was closely linked to charity work.

Many important people helped shape social work.

• Jane Addams started the Hull House in Chicago. She won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1931 for her work.
• Mary Ellen Richmond wrote Social Diagnosis. This was one of the first social work books to include ideas from law, medicine, and psychology.
• William Beveridge helped create the idea of a social welfare state. This is where the government provides support for people.

Social Work in the United States

In the 1840s, Dorothea Dix worked to change how people with mental health challenges were treated. She helped improve care for them. Later, in 1907, Elizabeth Horton became the first social worker in a mental health setting. She helped people after they left the hospital.

After World War I, there was a greater need for mental health services. In 1918, the Smith College School for Social Work began training social workers. Mary C. Jarrett gave social workers the name "Psychiatric Social Worker." After World War II, more mental health clinics opened. A law in 1963 encouraged people with mental health conditions to live in their communities, not just hospitals.

Social workers also helped during the 2003 invasion of Iraq and the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021). They provided counseling to soldiers and veterans. They helped with challenges like PTSD and depression. Social workers play a key role in helping veterans get the care they need.

Social Work in Canada

In Canada, early ideas about mental health came from Native North Americans. They believed mental trouble meant a person had lost balance with their community. They used natural and spiritual ways to heal.

The first official treatments for mental health issues in Canada were in 1714 in Quebec. In the 1830s, charities and churches offered social services. Asylums for people with mental illness opened in the 1830s and 1840s. Social work training began at the University of Toronto in 1914. Before that, social workers learned on the job.

World War II changed how people viewed mental health. Many soldiers had mental health issues, which led to more research and better treatments. Since the 1960s, psychiatric social work has focused on community-based care. This means helping people in their own neighborhoods. In Ontario, social workers are regulated by the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers. The Canadian Association of Social Workers (CASW) is the national group for social workers.

Social Work in India

Ancient Indian texts like the Charaka Samhita (around 400-200 BC) described mental stability and how to care for people. The Siddha medical system in South India also had ways to treat mental health issues. During the Mughal period, the Unani system of medicine introduced a form of therapy called ilaj-i-nafsani.

In the 1700s, hospitals for people with mental illness were built in cities like Bombay (Mumbai) and Calcutta (Kolkata). The first law about mental health, the Lunacy Act, came in 1858. In the late 1800s, "work therapy" programs started in asylums. People with mental illness helped with farm work. This was an early form of rehabilitation.

In 1920, the term "asylum" was changed to "hospital" to show a more caring approach. The first psychiatric social worker job was created in 1937 at a child guidance clinic. This was the first official record of social work in Indian mental health. After India became independent in 1947, new hospital units were set up to offer outpatient care. In 1948, Gauri Rani Banerjee started a master's course in social work.

Over the years, more social workers were hired in hospitals and clinics across India. They helped with the social and emotional parts of treatment. In 1968, a postgraduate diploma in psychiatric social work was introduced. In 1982, the Indian government launched the National Mental Health Programme. This program aimed to connect mental health care with general health services.

In 1998 and 2008, the National Human Rights Commission looked closely at mental hospitals. They found that human rights for people with mental illness needed to be recognized. This led to improvements. In 2016, the Mental Health Care Bill was passed. This law helps people get treatment and protects their dignity. It also ensures access to free medications.

India still needs more mental health professionals. There are not enough psychiatrists or social workers for everyone who needs help. However, social workers have greatly improved mental health care in India.

How Social Workers Help

Social work is an interdisciplinary job. This means social workers use ideas from many fields. These include psychology, sociology, politics, economics, education, and law. Learning in the field is a key part of social work training. This helps students understand theories and how to use them in real life.

Here are some ways social workers help:

• Social case work: Helping individuals and families with their specific needs.
• Group work: Leading groups to support each other and learn new skills.
• Community organization: Helping people in a community work together to solve problems.
• Crisis intervention: Providing immediate help during emergencies or difficult times.
• Medical social work: Helping patients and families deal with health issues.
• Financial social work: Helping people manage money and improve their financial security.
• Advocacy: Speaking up for people's rights and needs.
• Family therapy: Helping families improve their relationships and solve conflicts.

The Social Work Profession

Social work is a profession that requires ongoing learning. Social workers must keep studying to stay updated on the best ways to help people. Their goal is to provide helpful services to individuals, families, groups, and communities. They help people live their best lives.

Social workers follow a set of steps in their work:

• Engagement: First, they connect with the person or group they are helping. They build a trusting relationship.
• Assessment: They gather information to understand the situation and plan how to help.
• Planning: They work with the client to create a plan of action.
• Implementation: They help the client get the resources and support they need.
• Monitoring/Evaluation: They check how things are going and see if the plan is working.
• Supportive Counseling: They offer encouragement, information, and explore options.
• Graduated Disengagement: They help the client become more independent and connect with other support systems.
• Administration: They also help manage social work programs and services.

Social workers follow a strong set of ethical rules. These rules are based on six main values:

• Service: Helping people in need.
• Social Justice: Working for fairness and challenging unfairness in society.
• Dignity and worth of the person: Treating everyone with respect and valuing their unique qualities.
• Importance of human relationships: Building positive relationships with clients and working together.
• Integrity: Being honest and responsible to build trust.
• Competence: Practicing and building expertise in social work.

Social workers focus on the well-being of individuals and society. They work to promote social justice and positive change. A "client" can be a person, a family, a group, or a whole community. Some social workers even travel to places affected by war to help families and survivors.

Social workers also help with things like managing money. They help people access benefits or build savings. This is called Financial social work. They also work in "Behavioral Social Work," helping people learn new behaviors and manage challenges. Another area is "Occupational Social Work," where they help companies support their employees' well-being.

In the United States, social workers are the largest group of mental health providers. There are more trained social workers than psychiatrists, psychologists, and psychiatric nurses combined.

Social workers can work in many different areas, such as:

• Helping people out of poverty.
• Teaching life skills.
• Organizing communities.
• Protecting children and older adults.
• Working in corrections (like prisons).
• Helping with disaster management.
• Providing mental health support.
• Helping people with disabilities.

Roles and Functions

Social workers have many important roles in mental health. They can be:

• Case managers: Helping people connect with different services.
• Advocates: Speaking up for people's rights.
• Administrators: Managing programs.
• Therapists: Providing counseling.

Their main jobs are to promote health, prevent problems, treat issues, and help people recover. Social workers also:

• Offer Counseling and psychotherapy.
• Help manage cases and provide support.
• Step in during crises.
• Teach people about their conditions (psychoeducation).
• Help with Psychiatric rehabilitation and recovery.
• Coordinate care and monitor progress.
• Manage programs and develop resources.
• Conduct research and evaluate services.

Psychiatric social workers assess patients' needs. They help patients and families talk with doctors and other team members. This ensures everyone gets the best care. Social workers are also key in helping people return home after treatment.

Qualifications and License

To become a social worker, you usually need a bachelor's degree in social work. Many countries also offer master's degrees or even doctorates in social work.

In many places, you need to register or get a license to work as a social worker. This ensures that social workers meet certain standards. Professional groups often set the academic requirements for the job.

Social Work in North America

In the United States, social work programs are approved by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). You need a CSWE-approved degree to become a licensed social worker. The first formal social work courses started in New York in 1898.

The Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) creates exams for social work licenses in the US and Canada. However, there have been concerns about these exams. Studies have shown that white test takers are much more likely to pass than people of color, older individuals, or those who speak English as a second language (ESL). This has led to questions about how fair and reliable the exams are.

The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) has spoken out against these exams. They believe the exams show unfair differences based on race and age. Because of these concerns, the CSWE no longer requires social work programs to use ASWB exam pass rates for accreditation.

Some states are changing their rules. For example, Illinois now allows social workers to get licensed by completing supervised work hours instead of just passing the ASWB exam. This helps more educated social workers enter the field. Many experts believe that having good supervisors is a better way to ensure social workers are ready to practice safely and ethically.

Social Work Groups

Social workers have many professional groups that offer guidance and support. These groups can be international, national, or local. The main international groups are the International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW) and the International Association of Schools of Social Work (IASSW).

In the United States, the largest group is the National Association of Social Workers (NASW). They have a code of conduct based on the six core values mentioned earlier: service, social justice, dignity, relationships, integrity, and competence. There are also groups for clinical social workers who provide therapy.

In the UK, the British Association of Social Workers (BASW) is the professional group. Social Work England is the body that regulates social workers. In Australia, the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW) makes sure social workers meet required standards. In New Zealand, Kāhui Whakamana Tauwhiro (SWRB) regulates social workers.

Social Workers and Technology

Technology is becoming very important in social work. It helps social workers keep records electronically. This makes information clear, easy to access, and useful for understanding trends. Social workers use observation to find solutions. While watching others is natural, it becomes "surveillance" when the goal is to guard someone.

The social work code of ethics talks about using technology. It says that if technology is used for evaluation or research, clients should be told about it. This helps ensure privacy and ethical practice.

Social Workers in Stories

Social workers have appeared in many books and movies. For example, the movie Precious is based on a story where a social worker plays a key role.

See also

In Spanish: Trabajo social para niños

• Child welfare
• Community development
• Mental health professional
• Social development
• Social psychology
• Social research
• Welfare