Appreciate the responses so far. People with many different backgrounds, including educational backgrounds, work or have worked in areas that are clearly social service work.

Richard, I don't know what your latter peripheral experience has been with people who work in jobs that are labeled Social Worker. If still in the realm of child protective services or foster care workers, are these jobs that require a Social Work degree? As an aside, I have never worked in areas pertaining to child welfare. Aside from the reality that I have never been a 'kid' person, I have also always known I wasn't 'tough enough' to endure that area of social work.

And to others, I am interested in hearing from anyone who has worked in what most of us would consider one or more of many areas that constitute social service work, and not only in hearing from people with an undergraduate or graduate degree in Social Work. I would, however, like to know what, if any, formal education you may have, regardless of field.