Social Workers: What are the Different Types of Social Workers

Social workers have a significant impact on society and the people that occupy them. They shoulder a huge responsibility and also are the bearer of change. But before we dive deeper into understanding the fundamental roles, responsibilities, and impact of social workers in any community, we need to understand who is referred to as a social worker.

Who is a social worker?

Broadly speaking a social worker is a person who helps individuals, groups, and families in solving the problems they face in their everyday lives. There is not just a single cause but abundant situations in which they come out and help people cope and become their voice.

From adopting a child to preventing and treating substance abuse they become the people to look up to in time of need. From raising awareness about the environment to protecting animals there is no limit to their good actions. Some social workers get involved at a broad level and along with the policymakers and community, organizations develop or improve social programs, services and conditions. The work of a social worker can be divided further.

Types of the social worker:

Child and family social workers - these social workers protect the vulnerable children and assist the families in need to find housing or services such as childcare and apply for benefits like food stamps. They work towards building a healthy family for children who are in danger, are neglected, or are abused. They help these children to create a better future for themselves. They arrange foster homes, and adoptions, or sometimes assist in reuniting families.

School social workers - these social workers work with the teachers, parents, and school administrations to develop plans and strategies to improve the academic performance of students along with their social development. They discuss with the families of the children if their child needs some help and helps children with problems such as bullying or aggressive behaviour.

Healthcare social workers - healthcare social workers help their clients understand their diagnosis and accordingly adjust to their lifestyle, housing, etc. They provide their clients with information about support groups and health care groups. Some social workers help the doctor understand the impact of the diagnosis on the mental health of their clients and some healthcare social workers specialize in geriatric social work, hospice and palliative care, or medical social work. 

Community social workers - these social workers, help the communities to run smoothly. They are responsible for setting up a system within these communities that offer help or assistance to people in need. They are actively involved in every stage of planning and running an organization focused on promoting community health and wellness.

Criminal justice social worker - These social workers help their clients within the criminal justice system. They work with the offenders, victims, and their families. The role of the Criminal justice social workers may vary from job to job. For example, if they work in diversion programs then they counsel individuals who have been found guilty of a crime but offered to avoid jail time by completing the program. Some criminal justice social workers, work as victim advocates, they work with the law enforcement to assist victims as they go through the legal process of reporting a crime and following through.

Environmental social worker - environmental social workers raise awareness about the importance of the environment and the need to protect it. They use the theory of social and ecological justice, human rights, and issues regarding biological sustainability to develop and implement plans to support life on the planet.

Disability social worker - a disability social worker works with people with varying physical or mental disabilities or challenges. They help the client understand their diagnosis and offer guidance and support to help them cope with their disability. Disability social worker is further divided into developmental disability social worker and learning disability social workers.

International social workers - these social workers provide assistance, counselling, and other types of assistance related to global issues. Some of the issues that these social workers focus on is gender inequality, poverty, natural disasters, child labour, etc. international social workers provide aid to population all over the world.

Conclusion

These are just some of the few types of social workers that I have mentioned but there are many more. The role of a social worker is a massive one with a lot of skills and qualities such as communication, compassion, problem-solving, and interpersonal and organizational skills to name a few.

Written by - Aayushi Kumari Singh