2 answers
Samuel
Student
1
Question
Updated
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How difficult and mentally taxing is being a child and family social worker?
I am currently a high school senior trying to figure out where I want to go to college and I am currently planning on majoring in Social Work to later become a child and family social worker and I am just looking for some perspective on what to actually expect.
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2 answers
Eirini Gkion
Sales Development
1
Answer
London, England, United Kingdom
Updated
Eirini’s Answer
Social work requires both empathy/emotionally intelligence but also logic, combined with a good knowledge of the laws and regulations around safeguarding. It's a multifaceted profession which can be rewarding when there's positive resolution, however it also involves social workers facing extreme situations such as violence, hostile environments and severe lack of communication where their role is to assess with a neutral eye and ensure above everything the safety and well being of children.
Academic knowledge counts, but emotional strength is also very important. It can give you a lot of self-fulfilment and there's space for career growth.
Academic knowledge counts, but emotional strength is also very important. It can give you a lot of self-fulfilment and there's space for career growth.
Thank you, Eirini for the advice.
Samuel
Michelle M.
Actress
3284
Answers
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Michelle’s Answer
Hello, Samuel !
In between two separate acting careers, I spent 27 years as a social Case Manager for all populations except children, but I have been around colleagues and the work that is done for child protective services which is a niche of social work that you are considering. I think I may be able to suggest some things you may find useful for consideration.
Child welfare/protective services is the least desirable realm of social work that one can choose to go into. It is very, very mentally and physically taxing and frustrating. I have seen colleagues become physically ill working in this realm. You would be taught one thing in college and it will sound great, useful and results oriented and then when you do the work in person, there are many barriers and changing processes and rules. You will be told and mandated what to do even if it wasn't something you learned in college. You will always be around parents that are disturbed, angry or upset and the foster care system leaves a lot to be desired. Despite all of this, you CAN indeed work with children and families as a Social Worker in a better environment with chances for increased positive outcomes.
Instead of going into child welfare, consider becoming a Clinical Social Worker that works with children. When you work with children, you inevitably work with their families. Doing clinical therapy for children is one aspect of the support and progress they need. You would also be most likely doing groups for parents and groups geared to adolescents. You just may find this much, much more rewarding than child welfare/protective services.
Early on in my Case Management career, too many colleagues told me about this so I never applied to work in child centered programs. That was advice well given. I left some links below of articles for more information if you'd like to read the articles. (Although as an Actress, I did teach Acting to children and teens - but that's completely different).
The path for this is not complicated. You go for your Bachelors in Social Work or Psychology and then a Masters in Clinical Social Work. You get experience working with clients within the time of your Bachelors and Masters. It's a total of six years academics. You become Certified nd Licensed in the State you practice in. This path will not only prepare you to work with children, but with all populations as well.
So even though the realm you're thinking about may not be the best for the career, you can definitely still work with children and families as a Clinical Social Worker and the pay just may be better, too.
It's great that you are reaching out for information and advice about this before jumping into it. I hope this helps and I wish you all the best !
COMMON ISSUES WITH CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES https://www.jjlaw2.com/5-common-issues-with-child-protective-services/
HOW CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES HAVE FAILED CHILDREN https://www.aei.org/op-eds/how-child-protective-services-have-failed-children/
CONSEQUENCES OF A CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES CALL https://www.aei.org/op-eds/how-child-protective-services-have-failed-children/
In between two separate acting careers, I spent 27 years as a social Case Manager for all populations except children, but I have been around colleagues and the work that is done for child protective services which is a niche of social work that you are considering. I think I may be able to suggest some things you may find useful for consideration.
Child welfare/protective services is the least desirable realm of social work that one can choose to go into. It is very, very mentally and physically taxing and frustrating. I have seen colleagues become physically ill working in this realm. You would be taught one thing in college and it will sound great, useful and results oriented and then when you do the work in person, there are many barriers and changing processes and rules. You will be told and mandated what to do even if it wasn't something you learned in college. You will always be around parents that are disturbed, angry or upset and the foster care system leaves a lot to be desired. Despite all of this, you CAN indeed work with children and families as a Social Worker in a better environment with chances for increased positive outcomes.
Instead of going into child welfare, consider becoming a Clinical Social Worker that works with children. When you work with children, you inevitably work with their families. Doing clinical therapy for children is one aspect of the support and progress they need. You would also be most likely doing groups for parents and groups geared to adolescents. You just may find this much, much more rewarding than child welfare/protective services.
Early on in my Case Management career, too many colleagues told me about this so I never applied to work in child centered programs. That was advice well given. I left some links below of articles for more information if you'd like to read the articles. (Although as an Actress, I did teach Acting to children and teens - but that's completely different).
The path for this is not complicated. You go for your Bachelors in Social Work or Psychology and then a Masters in Clinical Social Work. You get experience working with clients within the time of your Bachelors and Masters. It's a total of six years academics. You become Certified nd Licensed in the State you practice in. This path will not only prepare you to work with children, but with all populations as well.
So even though the realm you're thinking about may not be the best for the career, you can definitely still work with children and families as a Clinical Social Worker and the pay just may be better, too.
It's great that you are reaching out for information and advice about this before jumping into it. I hope this helps and I wish you all the best !
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