Social Service, in the 21st century, has established itself as a leading profession at par with any other profession. It was established under humanitarian and democratic ideals, and its values are based on respect for the equality, worth, and dignity of all people. In solidarity with those who are under-privileged, the profession strives to alleviate poverty and to liberate vulnerable and oppressed people in order to promote peace and harmony.

Social workers help people to overcome some of life’s most difficult challenges such as poverty, discrimination, abuse, addiction, physical illness, divorce, loss, unemployment, educational problems, disability, and mental illness. It’s a noble profession that serves individuals, families, and communities who seek preventative and rehabilitative interventions for an improved quality of life.

In India, it has already passed its infancy long ago and in the last few decades it has emerged as one of the most sought after professions. A person holding a Bachelor (BSW) or Master (M.A in Social Work/MSW) degree in Social Work is generally considered a professional social worker. As far as Indian scenario is concerned, both Governmental and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) have a lot to offer if you are willing to work with immense dedication, which is of course a prerequisite in any profession. International organizations too are socially aware and hence a number of opportunities are available in international social work. Industrial and commercial units too are looking to hire social workers.

Diversifications:

A degree or diploma in Social Work creates a large number of opportunities in various sectors, depending on specialization and area of interest. Few of them are articulated below;

Child Welfare Social Worker:

The core responsibility of a child welfare social worker is to protect children from situations of abuse, neglect and other forms of maltreatment. They focus on ensuring the social, physical, psychological and emotional well-being of their clients. They do this by making home visits to investigate allegations of abuse or neglect, providing assessments to determine whether a parent or guardian is fit to provide care, evaluating whether a child should be temporarily or permanently removed from his living situation and placing children with foster care or adoptive families. 

Child welfare social workers usually need a minimum of a bachelor's degree in social work, or BSW, although sometimes, they may have undergraduate degrees in related fields like psychology or sociology. Many child welfare social workers earn master's degrees in social work, and a very limited number of candidates have doctoral degrees.

Addiction/Substance Abuse Social Worker:

A substance abuse social worker will usually start by meeting and interviewing a client who’s caught in the vicious cycle in either rehabilitation centers or reformatory homes. This enables them to determine the frequency and intensity of the abuse. In order to assess a client, the social worker will usually interview him, and possibly his loved ones. The social worker might also talk with a client’s medical doctors or mental health professionals to get a thorough knowledge about the client’s mental and physical condition. After assessing a client, a substance abuse social worker will then usually help a client come up with a treatment plan. They create treatment plans based on what best suits each individual client, based on their needs, abilities and severity of the abuse.

Most areas require substance abuse social workers to have at least a master’s degree in social work (MSW) in order to become licensed. Along with obtaining this type of degree, substance abuse social workers are also required to have several hours of supervised social work experience before becoming licensed. In addition, they can also obtain an M.Phil. degree and tie up with rehabilitation centers to communicate with addicts and gain considerable experience.

School Social Worker:

A school social worker provides social services and assistance to improve the social and psychological functioning of children and to maximize their academic functioning. They ensure that students reach their academic and personal potential. In addition, they address problems such as misbehavior, truancy, and teenage pregnancy. Increasingly, school social workers teach workshops to entire classes. They are usually employed or contracted by school districts or other educational institutions to help students cope with personal and psychological issues that affect their school performance, behavior and socialization. They also might assist teachers and administrators in dealing with behavioral or attitude issues by communicating with students to find the causes of their distress.

Mostly, a master’s or bachelor’s degree in social work is the key to open the gates of Social Sector. However, pertaining to school social work, a course in psychology would be extremely helpful as it will give you an insight into child psychology and behavioral disorders that trigger problems in their community. Visiting schools and institutions with a valid practicing license and holding sessions with children and teachers can polish your school social service skills on a large scale.

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