Job Duties of Social Worker for Children

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Individuals who want to become a Social Worker for Children will have to undertake several duties, depending on which branch of the career they are interested in working in. A minimum of a Bachelor’s degree and possible internship will help the graduate become familiar with the type of work they will be doing. A graduate must be aware of the duties they are expected to perform before accepting a position. Not all jobs within the field of Social Work are the same; therefore, a job candidate will want to be familiar with the particular duties required of that position. The following are some of the required duties and skills that are expected out of anyone who works within the Social Worker for Children field:

Duties: Duties include working with children or adolescents who have been placed in foster or adopted homes, addressing legal issues in each case such as child abuse or neglect, leading group counseling sessions or individual sessions with a child that is at risk, maintain accurate records and files on each child in his or her caseload, and administer tests and evaluations in order to diagnose a child’s behavior and family dynamics. While working within the Social Worker capacity, a social worker may encounter children with severe psychological, emotional, or behavioral problems that will need to be addressed. A social worker will need to conduct interviews with children, their parents or caretakers, and teachers in order to get a better picture of the possible cause of that child’s need for counseling. The Social Worker will need to collect information such as family dynamics, school records, medical records, financial records, and any other information needed to determine a child’s behavior and needs. He or she will then be required to put together a treatment plan for the child and his or her family. The caseworker will then need to follow up over a set period of time to make sure that the treatment plan is being followed in home and school settings.

Skills: In order to be an effective Social Worker for Children, the social worker will need to be able to communicate effectively, monitor the treatment plan, have social perception, and be social oriented. When interviewing and testing children, the social worker will need to be able to perceive the underlying mental state of a client, propensity for lying, underlying fears, and overall reactions to questions being asked. The Social Worker will be constantly aware of ways he or she can help others. The social worker will need to be able to communicate effectively, as well as be a good listener.

Knowledge: An effective social worker will have knowledge of policy and procedure within the office. Confidentiality is crucial to private therapy sessions. The social worker will need to work within government guidelines when assessing the behavior of a client. A good social worker will be able to evaluate the tests he or she administered and develop a treatment plan based on that information. He or she must be able to maintain client records according to the procedures within the office. A child counselor that is required to make home visits should be able to evaluate the home situation without being obvious. He or she should be looking at possible hazards within the home such as fire hazards or safety issues. The Child Social Worker should have knowledge about other resources available to clients that will be in the child’s best interest. He or she should be able to guide a family to community and governmental resources such as food pantries, thrift stores, housing choices, and medical help. Having a working knowledge of the legal system will help a child welfare worker when needed to appear in court as a witness or testimony as to the legal issues involved in a child welfare case.

Working Conditions: Although a social worker will usually have set daytime hours, he or she must be prepared to act at any time of day or night, if a child is in danger or hurt. Much of the time, the social worker will be working in an office or residential facility; however, must be available to travel to homes, hospitals, or other facilities in order to visit with clients or attend meetings with other social workers in the field.

There are many other duties expected of a Social Worker for Children. The type of work a social worker will do is dependent on what capacity they are serving as within the social worker system. It is best to research the duties and expectations of a Social Worker with Children before spending time training for a job that may not be suited for all individuals.