Child Social workers

What is child welfare social work?

Childhood should be a happy time, filled with memories of warmth, love, and carefree times. Unfortunately, not every child is blessed with loving parents and stable home lives. Some children are forced to cope with upheaval and problems at home, such as abuse, neglect, alcoholism, drug addiction, and poverty. Even in the United States, one of the most advanced countries in the world, some children still want for even the most basic of necessities, including food, shelter, health care, and appropriate clothing.

Child welfare social work is a field of social work that involves making sure children’s needs are taken care of. First and foremost, professionals in this field keep the best interests of all children in mind. They work hard to protect them from deplorable situations and make sure that their needs are met.

Working as a child welfare social worker can be both rewarding and very heart wrenching at times. In most cases, for example, you will be assisting children and families in need of assistance and support. On the other hand, however, you will inevitably run across at least a handful of heartbreaking cases in your career. These are the cases in which you may have to remove children from their homes, or worse yet, cases in which you witness children tolerating deplorable and even dangerous living situations.

Why do we need child welfare social workers?

Children who grow up in happy homes where all of their needs are met, typically grow up to become happy, stable, and well adjusted adults. On the other hand, those that grow up surrounded by unpleasant and dangerous situations often grow up suffering from mental and emotional unrest. They are plagued by the memories and images from their childhood, and some may even repeat the behavior that they witnessed, thinking that it’s normal. For example, studies show that children that grow up with abuse either go on to become abusers themselves or find themselves trapped in abusive relationships.

Although some families may see child welfare social workers as nothing more than nuisances, they serve a very important service. These professionals help ensure that troubled children are cared for properly and have their needs met, so they can grow up to become happy and well adjusted adults.

Featured Social Work Degree w/ Family & Children Concentration

What do child welfare social workers do?

If you pursue a child welfare social work career, you will find yourself working with children and families in need. Many times, you will deal with children that are in poor living conditions, but you will also find yourself working with children with special needs and behavioral problems as well.