Social work is a profession concerned with
helping individuals
, families, groups and communities to enhance their individual and collective well-being. It aims to help people develop their skills and their ability to use their own resources and those of the community to resolve problems.
Social workers
help relieve people’s suffering, fight for social justice, and improve lives and communities
. Most people think of social workers when they think of poverty alleviation and child welfare. Many social workers do that kind of work — and we do much more.
The following broad ethical principles are based on social work’s core values of
service, social justice, dignity and worth of the person, importance of human relationships, integrity, and competence
. These principles set forth ideals to which all social workers should aspire.
Community social workers help communities function. Some work directly with individuals,
conducting needs assessments and making referrals to resources in the community
. Others assess needs on a larger scale. They may plan and administer programs.
The profession is committed
to the enhancement of the quality of life and the development of the full potential of the clients by addressing the barriers, inequalities, and injustices that exist in society
. As such, the principles of human rights and social justice are fundamental to social work.
- Principles of Acceptance.
- Principle of Individualization.
- Principle of Communications.
- Principle of Confidentiality.
- Principle of Self Determination.
- Principle of Non-judgmental Attitude.
- Principle of Controlled Emotional Involvement. Delete Answer. ×
Social workers value
the dignity and worth of each person
. They treat each client in a compassionate and respectful way that is mindful of individual differences, cultural norms and ethnic diversity. They promote clients’ socially responsible self-determination based on their individual values.
Social workers support individuals and their families through difficult times and ensure that vulnerable people, including children and adults, are safeguarded from harm. Their role is
to help improve outcomes in people’s lives
. … They also work closely with other professionals in health and social care.
Social Work focuses on
helping people overcome difficult challenges in their life
. These include poverty, addiction, unemployment, disability, abuse, mental illness, and many others. Social Work also places a strong emphasis on social justice and equality.
Accountability is important for the social work professional as it supports a degree of autonomous action prohibited in other fields of social care activity. … Social work is
accountable to its professional body
which in turn is accountable to government.
Social workers’ roles have grown to include crisis management as well as roles of empowerment and advocacy. Social workers can empower communities
by encouraging individuals to take an active role in shaping social services
, providing education programs and enabling economic independence long-term.
Community social workers lead
the charge when problems occur involving community members
. They work with existing organizations or groups of concerned citizens to solve problems such as addressing inadequate living conditions, or helping to fight the placement of a toxic landfill.
Social workers
provide advice, support and resources to individuals and families to help them solve their problems
. Social workers work with specific groups of clients, including children, the elderly and families in crisis, and help them to solve the problems they’re facing.
As the demand for healthcare and social services increases,
employers in all sectors need more social workers
. Overall, the Bureau of Labor Statistics projects employment in social work to increase 11% between 2018-28, leading to more than 81,000 new jobs.
Social workers do this by
empowering people to manage their own lives
; promoting people’s independence; supporting people’s social inclusion and participation in society; and helping people to keep safe and well. Social work is underpinned by a core set of professional values.
- Service.
- Social justice.
- Dignity and worth of the person.
- Importance of human relationships.
- Integrity.
- Competence.
