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It is a profession characterized by diversity. Social workers engage in a broad range of activities within many types of settings and with many different people. Some work intensely with individuals and families, while others work with small groups, organizations, or whole communities.
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At its core, social work is a field that seeks to address and alleviate social issues, inequalities, and injustices. The profession operates within a framework of values such as social justice, human rights, and the dignity and worth of every person.
Jul 15, 2008 · Their articulation, through ethical standards, guides social workers' choices and actions across an array of roles, settings, and client populations. Values and ethics help to distinguish...
- Kim Strom-Gottfried
- LEARNING OBJECTIVES
- MARY CHOOSES SOCIAL WORK
- SOCIAL WORK AND HUMAN DIVERSITY
- TIME TO THINK 1.1
- Diversity and Social Justice
- Gender and Sexual Orientation
- Ethnicity
- Intersections of Diversity
- Theory and Practice
- The NASW Code of Ethics
- TIME TO THINK 1.2
- Major Social Work Competencies From the EPAS
- Bachelor of Social Work
- Master of Social Work
- Doctor of Philosophy in Social Work or Doctor of Social Work
- Field Education
- TIME TO THINK 1.3
- SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE
- Social Work Roles and Settings
- LIFESTYLE AND TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGE
- TIME TO THINK 1.4
- SUMMARY
- TOP 10 KEY TERMS
- DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
- EXERCISES
After reading this chapter, you should be able to Summarize the goals of the social work profession. Explain the importance of diversity and advocacy in social work. Describe the theories and values that inform social work practice. Evaluate the education options for social workers. Compare practice options for social workers.
As a first-year student, Mary has completed hours for her service-learning course at a fam-ily success center. She has enjoyed working with the diverse array of people who came to the center, and clients there have told her that she has been a good listener, doer, and advocate for them. Mary’s advisor has suggested that she might make use of her ne...
When assisting and advocating for people in need, social workers inevitably meet and interact with diverse people from multiple backgrounds. Many social workers would argue that one of the most interesting and rewarding aspects of their career is the ability to expand their knowledge and appre-ciation for human diversity. They have a chance to lear...
How well do you know yourself and empathize with others who do not have your privileges? How aware are you of how others perceive you and how you come across to others?
As rewarding as the experience of human diversity can be, it can be troubling as well. Those who are different from the types of people with whom we are most familiar are often stereotyped as being inferior in some way. That prejudiced attitude may lead to actual discrimination in the way those who are “different” are treated. They may have a depri...
Although women have made important strides in our society, they still face lingering and highly ingrained gender stereotypes, which are overgeneralizations about behaviors and characteristics based on gender orientation. Social workers partner with women’s rights groups, educators, and other professionals to advocate for and develop positive and me...
Many people adhere to at least some of the traditions and beliefs of their ancestors. In the United States, a “nation of immigrants,” many ethnic subcultures can be found. However, ethnocen-trism, believing that one’s own ethnic group and way of life are superior to those of others, can create intolerance and prejudice. In contrast, social workers ...
Social workers typically encounter multiple forms of diversity in a single individual. For instance, a woman experiencing a physical or mental challenge may also be an older adult who is economically disadvantaged, living paycheck to paycheck. For example, Rachel, a 72-year-old retired cleaning woman, may have trouble walking because of severe knee...
You may be starting to realize how complex the practice of social work can be. It requires knowledge of human development and behavior, as well as social, economic, and cultural institutions, social welfare policies, and the interaction of these various factors. The social work profession not only provides this knowledge but also educates its membe...
Social work values are reflected in the NASW Code of Ethics, which serves as a social and moral compass for social work professionals. This code has four sections—Preamble, Purpose, Ethical Principles, and Ethical Standards—which are summarized in the appendix of this book. The Code of Ethics serves six purposes (NASW, 2017): Identify core social w...
How do your ethics stand up against social workers’ professional ethics? In the workplace, what might make it difficult to adhere to a professional code of ethics? Refer to the National Association of Social Workers website to access the NASW Code of Ethics.
In 2015, CSWE delineated nine social work competencies that students in the discipline must acquire and demonstrate before they graduate. These competencies reflect common practice behaviors and social work ethics and are measurable. They are intended to ensure that every social work graduate has “sufficient knowledge, skills, and values” to practi...
The Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degree readies graduates for generalist social work practice, which will be described in more detail in Chapter 3. The BSW, the BA in social work, and the BS in social work are the entry-level degrees for the profession. The academic credential is precisely defined: a bachelor’s degree from a college or university ...
A Master of Social Work (MSW) degree readies graduates for advanced, specialized professional practice. It must be obtained from a program or department accredited by CSWE. The MSW degree is viewed as a terminal degree, meaning that select social work programs may hire MSW social workers as faculty to teach clinical or policy courses or as non-tenu...
For most social workers, an MSW degree is sufficient for advanced study and professional devel-opment. Although the number of doctoral programs has been growing, only a small percentage of NASW members hold one of the two doctorate degrees: Doctorate of Philosophy in Social Work (PhD): Readies graduates to teach or conduct research or to specialize...
Whichever level of social work education you pursue, you can anticipate spending time in the “real-world classroom.” Referred to as social work’s “signature pedagogy,” field education is the part of the social work curriculum that students most eagerly anticipate. In the field, you finally get a chance to apply what you have learned, under the supe...
How many hybrid or fully online (distance-learning) classes are you currently taking? How many of these are social work courses? What are the advantages and disadvantages of learn-ing about the profession of social work through an internship experience that is online rather than in person?
The social work profession has a dual purpose and responsibility of supporting individual and social change. Knowledge from a variety of disciplines, integrated from formal classes and per-sonal learning, helps social workers assess complex situations and determine effective interven-tions. Many people benefit from and appreciate these intervention...
Traditionally, social workers have provided charity, created agencies and resources, developed or advocated for policy changes, and delivered services to people and communities in socio-economic distress. Historically, as Chapter 2 describes, they have been key to the development of social welfare policies, such as child labor laws, fair pay and wo...
Technology is very much a part of our daily lives. Take a moment to consider the dramatic technological advancements of the past three decades: Computers have replaced type-writers; e-mail, instant messaging, and texting have replaced letters and greeting cards; smartphones have replaced rotary phones; and Wikipedia has replaced encyclopedias (Lind...
If your friends or parents said to you, “Social work doesn’t pay well. Why don’t you major in nursing, psychology, or criminal justice?” how would you respond? How will social work pre-pare you to work with people and social problems differently than other professions would?
Social workers are professionals who help individuals, families, groups, agencies and organiza-tions, and communities through planned change. They work with people across the life span and across socioeconomic levels. They often work with people who are socioeconomically dis-advantaged and who seek assistance with basic needs like food, housing, an...
Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards (EPAS) field education level of practice Master of Social Work (MSW) NASW Code of Ethics National Association of Social Workers (NASW) social work social workers
What are the values and beliefs of social workers? How do social workers put their values and beliefs into action? Why is self-awareness and understanding so important for becoming a social worker? Imagine that you meet a man who felt neglected as a child because his parents divorced and his father was an abusive alcoholic. As this man ages, he has...
What is important to you in a career? Interview a social worker, and then interview a sociologist, a psychologist, or another human service professional. Compare and contrast their roles and responsibilities. Ask about their level of education and how quickly they got job working with people after graduation. How would you respond to people (client...
1. over time. We propose that the social work interpretative lens is by four additional lenses that together influence the way in which theory in practice: the relational lens; the social justice lens; the lens; and the lens of change. THE SOCIAL WORK RELATIONAL LENS.
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Social work focuses on improving health and social well-being using the social determinants of health framework when delivering services, navigating systems, and advocating for equitable access to and improvement of the multiple dimensions that impact health and well-being.
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Structural social work theory begins from a conflict, rather than an order perspective (Howe, 1987; Mullaly, 1997). The theory regards society as composed of groups with conflicting interests who compete for resources, power, and the imposition of their own ideological views of the world.
