What's it like being a social worker for children?

Question

I would love to be a social worker working with young children and their families, and am planning to start my degree soon.

I just wanted to hear from others how their days can vary.

For example, i assume there must be alot of diplomacy and tact used when visiting families where perhaps there is suspected child abuse going on etc etc, which must be rather hard if you believe something right is not going on.

I'm very passionate about doing it, but do wonder of the sort of situations one could face as a social worker ...

Does anyone have any personal experiences?

Is there any danger in the job? IE in regards to perhaps parents that are aggressive etc etc?

Can it be particulary upsetting on some circumstances?

I just want to know abit more about what to expect :D

thanks

Answer 1

Consider the fact that many of the parents you will be dealing with are drug and alcohol addicted and my be abusive to their children.  Throw in the fact that you will have a case load that doesn't allow you to give the attention to each child that you wish you could.  Then to top it off, Judges often send kids back to parents that have NO business having them and will go against your recommendations.  

These are some of the reasons that Social Workers who work for family services has a VERY high burn out rate.  If that is a field you like, maybe try to go to work for a high end children's clinic or a good school district.  Not as depressing.

Answer 2

I was hoping to become a social worker, but people warned me off it. I remember someone said to me that even though you know a child is at risk, you sometimes can't so ANYTHING about it because of the strict legislations in place. Sometimes social workers literally have no power, despite knowing that the child is in danger. I just knew I wouldn't be able to handle being in that position.

Answer 3

You cry a lot.  You have tremendous caseloads and feel that you do not make a real differencce in these chidren's lives.  Birth parents hate you.  Foster parents hate you.  You are yelled at by the courts, by coworkers, by birth families, by adoptive families, by foster families and, at times, by the kids themselves.  You are ready to quit you have had enough . . . then you hold the first newborn child of a child who was once on your caseload, who is now married and has a familiy of his or her own and he or she tells you that you were the one person who made a difference in their life.  Then you forget everything else and go on.

Answer 4

I am a social worker. I have a masters in social work. Getting that degree and doing this sort of work has been a life changing experience. It makes me much more sensitive and you learn to understand things differently. Also it makes you much more patient.

As for working with children it really depends on what you are doing and where...also what agency or organization you are working for.

A couple of generals though. Working with children can be a challenge but very rewarding. They are kids and nature will make you love and want to protect them...the downside...they are not yours and yes some times you will see and learn of awful things that they are dealing with and not being protected from. I once worked with teenage girls who had serious emotional problems and lived in a large treatment center. Everyone who works in those places comes to love and care about the kids tremendously. I think its natures way of making adoptions happen.  

If you are going to be working with kids dealing with abuse then its important to have a really good supervisor and learn to really do things to de-stress and take care of yourself.

I love my career and its worth it. I cant imagine doing anything else. I do complain about the money though but am doing ok for me right now.

Good luck!

Answer 5

I worked for a family homeless shelter...I wasn't a social worker there but my job was similar......parents are very aggressive sometimes because you are dealing with their children and sometimes it's emotionally draining thinking that people could treat their own children the way they do but it's one of those things that's rewarding sometimes when you know you've made a child's life better