To ask what people think a social worker's job role is?

[filee777]

I am intrigued. I know this is in AIBU and its not really that sort of question but I want diverse and interesting opinions.

So what do you think a social worker does? What do you think a social work should do?

I just started last Monday yes.

They do irritate me, I would rather just get on with my work than listen to loud, bulshy girls who have very little to add.

I am throughly enjoying the study, have read lots since I started and got access to the library and it's already been fascinating.

We don't start placements until the second year so I have a while to find my feet until I have to worry about being unleashed upon the world!

We started year 1 with 49 people, we started year 2 with 44 people and have started year 3 with 40 people! I am fortunate enough to be at a very good university and I was the last year who entered before the fee cap was lifted. For each place on the BA, there were 20 applicant, so according to the admissions tutor, we are the 'cream of the crop' but really, some people....! One woman was kicked off for posting derogatory comments about the clients from her placement and posted identifying details.

file777 I got very irritated with those who whispered and talked the whole way through our lecturers but it taught me a valuable lesson. There will always be people who rub me up the wrong way and I learned to accept people as they are and focus on what needed to be done. Most SW offices are open plan and some people will talk and talk and talk the whole day long, so I saw it as a good skill to be able to block out background noise.

Wow that's a big group! There are 15 of us, they started with 12 in the (now) second year and now have 8. Apparently there is quite a high drop out rate because the subjects are quite emotionally difficult.

My biggest worry is that the two loud ones seem to have quite strong views that they are very loud about and sort of jump on people who talk. They also don't really like listening to others points of view.

I think it's going to be a hard year in that respects, there is a lot of debate and it will be testing.

They don't whisper, they interrupt the whole class to talk about nothing. We are a small group so we have debates rather than lectures which is fantastic but not when you have someone who loves the sound of their own voice making 'funny' comments rather than just discussing the item at hand! People trying to be 'cool' and 'funny' rather than just learn.

Must be tough with such a small group. Do you mind me asking which uni you're at? Also, if you need any advice on books or anything, feel free to message me. :)

I'll message you candy

Oh I don't think I can! Your name is black and I'm on my phone! If you message me back I can reply?

filee, don't be silly, you really don't want to identify yourself on here!

How do you know candy is not one of the loud ones on your course.

I think you have some maturing to do.

I couldn't give a toss if she was one of the loud ones on my course. I have hardly said anything incriminating have I!

I'm in the first week of the first year of a three year social work degree, anyone in that position would have 'some maturing to do'

I used to work in a job which involved working with social workers quite frequently, but I don't think it's relevent at this point in time (over 20 years ago!!)

However, I've had many social workers involved with me and my children over the last 18 years since I decided to adopt (mostly adoption and post adoption but a couple of mental health sw's who work with adolescents). I now have 3 children, and since my elder two have/have had quite significant needs, adoping them has meant accepting continued social work involvement all their childhoods.

So I know what the role of child protection, fostering, adoption and post adoption, and some mental health sw's is - but not had much experience with other kinds of sw so don't really know a lot about it.

I've seen a few brilliant social workers - who had compassion, understanding, listened to me, believed me, fought for what my kids really needed, were creative, kept to deadlines and were very knowledgeable about trauma and adoption issues.

Plenty of good ones - who generally did a good or okay job, had a few issues (usually deadlines, communication and doing what they said they were going to do) but overall listened, put the kids first and tried their best.

Some not very good ones
A few terrible ones

The terrible ones, without fail, had preconcieved false ideas or little real knowledge of trauma. So they tended to - blame me for my children's issues, think I could solve my children issues with different parenting, or believe that short term non-intensive interventions were going to make a difference to my kids. They did NOT listen to me. They had their firm (and frankly wrong) views and they were stuck in those views, and therefore anyone (like me) who said anything which didn't tally with those views...well, we were clearly wrong, and should be talked over, patronised, ignored and blamed.

I have been lied to, and had (important) reports and information about my kids pasts hidden from me.

Oh and the terrible ones think they have to be right 100% of the time, and they twist things round to prove themselves right.

I don't think sw's are very well paid for what they have to work with, especially child protection sw's. Threats, constant hostility, sometimes extremely traumatic stories, terrible cirumstances. Definitely a vocation. No sensible person could possibly think that working with such things is a jolly fun job, or won't affect you on some level

I really don't think I want to go into child protection, but as I said, I would rather wait a while before making such decisions.

I'll message you. We've already established that file is year 1 and I'm year 3, so we've definitely not been in lectures or seminars together.

Thanks candy

I had gathered from your well written response on here that you aren't in my year but I've never been particularly paranoid!

I'll look forward to your message.

I'm sure they have, I read that in a book dated 2004 which I've been using to study for my latest essay.

I'm only 3 days into the course, I've not had any course texts yet.

I don't think social workers are especially well paid. Most of my friends who work in the private sector are on 35k+ my friends who work in social work, teaching or nursing all earn under 30k. We are all mid 20s and live in London.

OP you come across as a right little know all to be honest. Be careful it's not YOU who ends up rubbing your fellow students up the wrong way.

Just a heads up, literature from longer than five years ago is not considered up to date.

social workers are now regulated by the HPC the same body that regulates health care professionals
From what I see in both my professional and personal life social workers now have little hands on time with the persons using their service
They spend time preparing case work or files for court and a lot of the legal stuff

Okay then...

How helpful fut thanks SO much for your input.

I really am interested in what people think social workers do, for a variety of reasons. This thread has been very helpful to me, thanks to everyone who has added their thoughts :)

I very much know I have an awful lot to learn in the next three years, if I didn't want to learn, I wouldn't be doing a degree.

I'm quite intrigued by the legal stuff. We have to prepare for and do a 3 hour law exam sometime this year.

Just trying to help you out a little to be fair. But clearly you don't need anything of the sort so ermm as you were...

No, you weren't trying to 'help me out' because if you were your responses would have at least been polite.