How to Become a Child Social Worker?

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If you are interested in becoming a child social worker, the minimum education you need is a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work. It doesn’t matter if you choose an undergraduate or a graduate program, as they will both allow you to practice what you have learned through theory. This is a great moment for becoming a child social worker, as the data shows that the employment rates in the field are growing.

Education and Training

If you want to be a child social worker, you are required to have formal education. According to Study.com, you must look for a school approved by CSWE (the Council on Social Work Education). You can graduate in general social work, but you might have to search for a specialization in child welfare, so you can have more job opportunities.

A bachelor’s degree program in social work lasts 4 years and requires the completion of social work courses and general education. Moreover, in the final years, you will have to complete your hours of field experience by working in various facilities under professional supervision.

If you want to be more experienced and have more job opportunities, you could also get a master’s degree. In case you want to perform clinical work, a master’s degree in social work is mandatory. Moreover, a graduate program can offer you the specializations you need, such as child welfare, administrative social work or clinical social work. To graduate from such a program, you will also need significant field experience.

Once you have graduated in one of these programs, you will need a license from the state you want to practice in. Keep in mind that you cannot practice social work unless you have that license.

Job Overview

A child social worker is specialized in improving the children’s lives by offering them various services, including counseling, therapy, assisting adoptions, fighting against abuse, etc. At the same time, they can support poor students in achieving their academic pursuits and goals. Child social workers are usually employed in private or public schools and they can also practice in government agencies.

The employment rate for social workers will grow by 20% until 2020, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. However, due to the late budget cuts there might be an impediment for those willing to practice social work in schools.

How Much Does a Child Social Worker Earn?

As of May 2012, the average salary of a child social worker was $41,530 per year, which is a bit lower compared to a general social worker that earns $56,290 annually. The professionals who works at secondary or elementary schools receive the highest wages – $54,590 per year, while the specialists working in professional, religious or civic organizations earn only $35,910 per annum. The data is extracted from the 2012 reports published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, so the payment is expected to grow a bit in the following years.