A Social Worker's Guide to Working with Children

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A Social Worker’s Guide to Working with Children A Social Worker’s Guide to Working with Children

The Centers for Disease Control and Introduction to Social Prevention (CDC) identifies individual, family, and community risk factors common among Work for Child Welfare families that are at risk for abuse and/or neglect. Neglect and abuse are more likely to Social workers play integral roles in educating, occur in families with the following risk factors: counseling, and supporting individuals and families who are at risk of being marginalized • Children under age four for various reasons, including culture, income, • Special needs children (physical or mental) location, and education. They can address many of their clients’ challenges through • Parents who were abused as children careful ethical and strategic intervention. • Parents who are uneducated about child Professionals specializing in child welfare work rearing for government agencies, nonprofits, private • Parents who are young, poorly educated, agencies and healthcare companies where their have low incomes, or who are responsible work takes them to private homes, schools, for a large number of children hospitals and clinics. • Single parents and/or households with a Because child welfare work is so sensitive, non-biological provider in the home such as social workers need to be equipped with a single parent’s romantic partner a solid educational background, as well as • Highly stressed parents proper certification and state licenses. Such preparation and qualification imbues social • Families that lack interaction skills and workers with an ethical knowledge base and that have formed inadequate parent-child gives them the ability to diagnose a family’s relationships needs, create an intervention plan, help • Families that are socially alienated implement the plan and monitor and evaluate • Families with violent tendencies or that live the effectiveness of it. in violent communities

Who Are the Children and Families that • Families living in impoverished areas with high unemployment Need Assistance?

The CAPTA Reauthorization Act of 2010 defines Despite these identified risk factors, it’s abuse and neglect as: important to note that families can be living in at-risk circumstances without engaging in child • Any recent act or failure to act on the part of maltreatment, just as families with no at-risk a parent or caretaker, and factors can be abusing or neglecting children. • The act or failure to act results in death, serious physical harm, sexual abuse or What are the Needs of These Children? exploitation; Professionals such as counselors, teachers, • Or an act or failure to act that represents an and caseworkers who work with children are imminent risk of serious harm. trained to recognize signs of abuse and neglect. Neglect can be physical, medical, educational, or emotional; abuse can be physical, sexual, emotional, or substance-based.

http://onlineprograms.ollusa.edu/msw Without proper intervention, the negative impacts of abuse and neglect on a child can be life long.

http://onlineprograms.ollusa.edu/msw A Social Worker’s Guide to Working with Children

Aside from the potential for a victim to repeat that social workers encounter in professional the cycle of abusive or neglectful behavior settings. It directs the core competencies with their own children, victims may suffer essential for social work specializing in working emotional, physical, and developmental delays. with children. The core values and broad ethical They are more prone to consequential, harmful principles are: behaviors like drug and alcohol abuse, sexual promiscuity, and obesity, according to the U.S. • Service Department of Health & Human Services. Helping those in need • Social Justice The 2012 CDC study “The Economic Burden of Advocating for reform Child Maltreatment in the United States and the Implications for Prevention,” describes how • Dignity and Worth these consequences extend beyond victims Respecting the worth of client and into society with costs soaring around • Human Relationships $124 billion to address the estimated 3 million Recognizing the essence of human annually reported abuse and neglect cases. relationships Among the hundreds of thousands of cases • Integrity classified as maltreatment, 1,740 were cases Engaging in trustworthy behavior in which the victim died. For this reason, the needs of children are a focal point in various • Competence areas of health and well-being, such as: Practicing within their realms of expertise and pursuing professional development • Spiritual • Cultural Places Where Social • Medical • Dental Workers Work • Social Most social workers are employed by private, • Educational public and nonprofit agencies, and their work • Mental takes place in a variety of locations including schools, residential group homes, military agencies, federal facilities and hospitals and How the NASW Code of Ethics Guide clinics. Social Workers Social Worker vs. Counselor The NASW Code of Ethics is based on the values and primary functions of social work, which Social workers who work with children often are to ensure that people’s basic needs are spend time in schools, where counselors are met, improve their well being, empower those also employed. While similar in many ways, in undermined positions, and address factors social workers and counselors differ in a few that negatively impact daily living. The Code important areas: of Ethics is a guiding body of knowledge for cultural, communicative, personal, financial, social, religious, intellectual, and other conflicts

http://onlineprograms.ollusa.edu/msw A Social Worker’s Guide to Working with Children

Similarities and if necessary – on behalf of the • Both provide counseling services to client. individuals, families, and groups • Both help clients actualize their problems and cope with them Social Worker’s Core • Master’s degrees are generally preferred or Competencies required in both fields Knowledge of Child Development, Parenting, Differences and Family Dynamics: As children grow and • Social workers strive to improve society as a mature, their needs and abilities to understand whole, while counselors focus on individuals grow and mature. Social workers who work and family units with children must understand the stages of childhood development. • Social workers also help clients ensure their basic needs such as food, clothing and Recognizing Signs of Child Endangerment shelter are met Social workers must understand behaviors and • Social workers advocate for clients in legal attitudes that signal abuse and neglect, such arenas as increased anxiety, aggression, depression, not wanting to go home, or even fear of certain Social Workers’ Roles Residential Group people. Homes, Hospitals and Clinics Cultural Influences Social workers need to understand how factors For people who are not able to care for such as culture, location, living arrangements, themselves and do not have family and friends and socioeconomic status affect the ethical to look out for their needs, social workers help development and implementation of a plan of them with day-to-day activities and ensure action. proper care.

Community Systems for Assistance • In residential group homes, social workers Another aspect of social workers’ roles with help clients develop life skills that allow families and children is creating a helpful them to live as independently as possible. community that can provide legal, medical, They help patients overcome and cope with mental health and financial support to families mental, behavioral, and physical limitations, in need. and they ensure that their clients have access to services that can help them. Knowledge of Laws and Regulations • In hospitals and clinics, social workers help The NASW Standards for Social Work Practices patients with mental illnesses and medical in Child Welfare Standards 2012 say that social issues and their families cope with and adapt workers must maintain a robust knowledge of to their circumstances. They direct them local, state, and federal regulations, politics, to other resources that will provide care, and legislations. This enables social workers to education and support. present cases in legal settings, to encourage policy change and advocate on behalf of victims In all settings, social workers have the and clients. additional important role of advocating – when

http://onlineprograms.ollusa.edu/msw When a child must be separated from his or her family, social workers oversee the transitions in and out of foster care, including when children might reunify with their families.

http://onlineprograms.ollusa.edu/msw A Social Worker’s Guide to Working with Children

attitudes and behaviors relative to the foster A Social Worker’s Role in child. Foster parents might be trained in cultural sensitivity, behavior management, and Foster and Kinship Care developmental disabilities.

Programs • Cultural sensitivity training applies when the child is of a different race, ethnicity, or When a child must be separated from his or her culture than the foster parent(s) family, social workers oversee the transitions in and • Behavior management training is necessary out of foster care, including when children might when the foster child has behavioral issues reunify with their families. that require special handling or treatment Social Workers’ Roles in Assistance • Developmental disabilities training occurs and Placement when the foster child has physical or mental disabilities that require special care The first step in the foster care process is for the social worker to ensure that the match – child and This type of training and cultural understanding caretakers or family – is a good one. To ensure the can ensure that the child receives the child’s well-being, social developmental skills, treatment or special care workers will: that is needed to live a happy and healthy life.

• Meet with the family to verify the match Family Reunification & Coordination • Ensure the child’s needs can be met of Services • Make sure the foster family has information to A social worker’s goal for separated families is care for the foster child familial reunification. When evaluation results verify that reunification is safe, the process can Counseling and Therapy Provided for begin. During reunification, families are strongly Foster Children supported so they avoid re-entry into the foster system. Children in foster care have often suffered abuse or neglect, which can have lasting damages. To To ensure success in the family reunification compound this trauma, neglectors and abusers process, social workers carefully coordinate are often the children’s parents, which adds an these steps: additional layer of psychological and emotional stressors. Counseling and therapy are often • Place children with extended family needed, and social workers will help families with • Place children near parents for a more these professional services. successful reunification Essential Training for the • Engage teachers, friends, and mentors, Foster Parents to ensure foster care is successful and to support reunification To facilitate the transition into foster care, social workers train foster parents on appropriate When reunification is not a viable option, social workers assist in finding the child permanent arrangements in the form of adoption.

http://onlineprograms.ollusa.edu/msw Licensed social workers are central figures in adoptions; nearly all parties involved in the adoption will interact with the social worker throughout the process.

http://onlineprograms.ollusa.edu/msw A Social Worker’s Guide to Working with Children

• Using neutral language that does not place How Social Workers emotional burden on birth or adoptive families. For example, PhD. Deborah H. Support the Adoption Siegel from Social Work Today says the phrase “giving the baby up for adoption” Process implies the child is unwanted; rather, “decided to make an adoption plan” is a non- Licensed social workers are central figures in blaming statement. adoptions; nearly all parties involved in the • Treating everyone, including abusive or adoption will interact with the social worker neglectful birth parents, respectfully throughout the process. • Considering the child’s desires Initial Steps the of Adoption Process • Establishing a support system among birth parents, adoptive parents, and children Adoptions begin with home visits in which the social worker determines the environment’s appropriateness for the adoptee. For example, Help to Establish Permanency a social worker might check for: Finalizing the adoption in court after placement • Working first aid kit can take six months to two years, depending on circumstances. Social workers write up • Carbon monoxide detectors requisite court documents, provide assistance, • Smoke alarms on every floor or near the and attend hearings to finalize the adoption. child’s room They also take final rights-relinquishing paperwork from the birth parents or current • Toxic substances are out of child’s reach legal caregiver. • Protective barrier from fireplace or wood stove Family Counseling & Coordination of • Fire extinguishers near cooking area Services • Gates near the stairs to prevent injuries Following the process to establish permanency, • Operational locks on windows social workers conduct post-placement • Fencing around swimming pool or large supervision and prepare adoptive parents bodies of water to listen, be empathetic, and answer difficult questions that adopted children tend to ask as they develop. Following the evaluation, adoption attorneys may or may not involve the social workers as Given that issues arise throughout a child’s they validate the match. adolescence, regardless of the length of time that has passed following the adoption, social Support Birth and Adoptive Families workers can continue providing coordinated services by providing references, resources, and Perhaps the most important thing social support to adoptive families as needed. workers do in adoptions is to counsel the adoptive and birth families to prepare them for the transition. They do this by:

http://onlineprograms.ollusa.edu/msw A Social Worker’s Guide to Working with Children

Policy Creation, Social Worker Program Evaluation, Education and and Research Credentials

Opportunities Education Requirements

Social Worker Administrator Policy Social workers who want to be the most Creation and Implementation effective in making a difference in their clients’ lives earn Master of Social Work degrees. An Social workers specializing in working with advanced degree prepares social workers to children can also make a difference in society address psychological, biological, and emotional and in the lives of neglected or abused children issues that clients deal with. An MSW enables by getting involved with social policy creation social workers to perform important counseling and implementation. According to the NASW, functions that those with BSWs are not qualified some of the ways social workers can make a to perform. difference in terms of child welfare policy include: Additionally, not only do those with MSWs have the potential to earn higher salaries than those • Conducting research to determine social with BSWs, but they are also more sought out issues by entities hiring social workers in varying areas • Culling and analyzing research results of specialization such as case managers and social worker administrators. • Raising funds or writing grants • Making recommendations for change Credentials & State Licensure Requirements Implementation necessitates robust campaigning via communication with media, In addition to having an MSW degree, social policymakers, public officials, and others to workers might be required to have NASW enact change. Although the implementation is Professional Social Work Credentials and/ possible, it may take more time for this change or Advanced Practice Specialty Credentials. to occur. Typically, credentials are renewed biannually, and: Program Evaluation • Communicate that a social worker has Following implementation, social service expertise, competence, and dedication agencies assess the effectiveness of change • Indicate a social worker’s adherence to through qualitative and quantitative studies. The NASW Code of Ethics and The NASW In an example provided by the NASW, a social Standards for Continuing Education worker advocated for a group of women • Are often sought out by employers looking suspected to be highly susceptible to HIV; for social work leaders subsequent evaluation revealed that the population’s increase of HIV cases slowed.

http://onlineprograms.ollusa.edu/msw A Social Worker’s Guide to Working with Children

States require that social workers are licensed, that social workers with an MSW earn and those requirements vary by state. Generally $15,000 more than their colleagues with speaking, becoming and staying licensed involves: bachelor degrees. The study, which was published in 2010, shows that child and • Board-supervised work for at least two years family social workers with an MSW earn (depending on the level of the license) upwards of $72,000 per year. More recent • Fulfilling a minimum of documented direct studies (2014) published by the U.S. supervision hours Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics reveal that the median salary for • Successful completion of an Association of Social social work community service managers Work Boards (ASWB) licensing examination was $62,740, and go as high as $104,540 on the appropriate level (bachelor’s, master’s per year. clinical, advanced generalist) • Professional fitness check If you are interested in social work and in making a meaningful difference in the lives of children and families who are Social Worker Careers marginalized, underserved, abused, or neglected, then take the next step about How Can a Social Worker Move Upward in pursuing a fulfilling Master of Social Work degree. their Career Paths • CDC, “Child Maltreatment: Risk and Organizations that seek social workers for Protective Factors,” http://www.cdc.gov/ leadership positions prefer those who have earned violenceprevention/childmaltreatment/ a master’s degree. An NASW a salary survey shows

Explore the possibilities and imagine the difference you can make in the lives of many.

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http://onlineprograms.ollusa.edu/msw A Social Worker’s Guide to Working with Children

Resources

riskprotectivefactors.html Nov/Dec 2013, http://www.socialworktoday.com/ archive/111113p16.shtml • U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, “Definitions of Child Abuse and Neglect in Federal Law,” https://www. • National Association of Social Workers, “Social Work childwelfare.gov/topics/can/defining/federal/ Profession – Overview,” http://www.socialworkers.org/ profession/factsheet.htm • U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, “Long- Term Consequences of Child Abuse and Neglect,” https:// • National Association of Social Workers, “Careers in Social www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/factsheets/long-term- Work, Part 2,” https://www.socialworkers.org/pubs/ consequences/ choices/choices2.asp#Policy • CDC, “Cost of Child Abuse and Neglect Rival Other • Our Lady of the Lake University, “Online Master of Social Major Public Health Problems,” http://www.cdc.gov/ Work Overview,” http://onlineprograms.ollusa.edu/ violenceprevention/childmaltreatment/economiccost. msw/masters-in-social-work-online-overview html • National Association of Social Workers, “NASW • Child Welfare League of America, http://www.cwla.org/ Professional Social Work Credentials and Advanced Practice Specialty Credentials,” http://www.naswdc.org/ • National Association of Social Workers, “Code of Ethics of credentials/default.asp the National Association of Social Workers,” http://www. socialworkers.org/pubs/code/code.asp • Association of Social Work Boards, https://www.aswb.org/ • National Association of Social Workers, “School Social Work,” https://www.socialworkers.org/pressroom/ • Center for Workforce Studies, “Summary of Key features/issue/school.asp Compensation Findings,” May 2010, pp. 6 & 11,http:// workforce.socialworkers.org/8-SalarySurvey.pdf • National Association of Social Workers, “NASW Standards for Social Work Practice in Child Welfare,” https:// www.socialworkers.org/practice/standards/ childwelfarestandards2012.pdf • U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, “Reunifying Families,” https://www.childwelfare.gov/topics/ permanency/reunification/ • Deborah H. Siegel, PhD, LICSW, DCSW, ACSW, Social Work Today, “Adoption Competency in Clinical Social Work,”

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