BS: Mudcat Social Workers?

Subject: BS: Mudcat Social Workers?
From: Janie
Date: 29 Nov 15 - 03:52 PM

Wondering how many Mudcatters work, or have worked in Social Work positions. It is a very diverse profession. I understand the definitions of social worker also may vary from country to country.

Subject: RE: BS: Mudcat Social Workers?
From: Joe Offer
Date: 29 Nov 15 - 11:57 PM

I know just one. Her name is Janie.
And on top of that, she's a terrific cook.
And a good friend.
-Joe-

Subject: RE: BS: Mudcat Social Workers?
From: GUEST,Pete from seven stars link
Date: 30 Nov 15 - 02:18 AM

We as foster carers have a lot to do with social workers. Here in the uk, many of them are under a lot of pressure with more case load than can be realistically handled.

Subject: RE: BS: Mudcat Social Workers?
From: wysiwyg
Date: 30 Nov 15 - 04:03 AM

I have supervised LCSW's in programs I designed, not alwsys precisely in the clinical sense.

I counsel an LCSW now.

A great deal of my work in the Church (with clergy and clergyspouse colleagues and with lay folk) and in the Red Cross chapter I led has involved social work, sometimes extensive and/or crisis-oriented and sometimes long term.

I'm not at liberty to give further information or details about any of the above.

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: Mudcat Social Workers?
From: GUEST,punkfolkrocker
Date: 30 Nov 15 - 07:41 AM

When I was in my 20s back in the 1980s the usual career path from my degree was social work, teaching, or media/journalism.

After some years of inner city voluntary work I accepted my personality wasn't cut out for a tough despairing life of social work....

Neither was I confident in the post grad social work student I shared a house with.
He and some of his fellow students [christians amongst them] seemed awfully middle class and patronising in their attitudes
to the disadvantaged 'underclass' they would eventually be working with...???

Subject: RE: BS: Mudcat Social Workers?
From: Stu
Date: 30 Nov 15 - 09:02 AM

A good friend of mine is a social worker and as Pete says, are under a huge amount of pressure. It's a profession I have nothing but respect for.

Subject: RE: BS: Mudcat Social Workers?
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 30 Nov 15 - 11:34 AM

Place is crawling with Social Workers, and retired Social Workers like me.

Subject: RE: BS: Mudcat Social Workers?
From: GUEST,achmelvich
Date: 30 Nov 15 - 02:38 PM

i'm working supporting people with disabilities now after a couple of years in child care and several years at a homeless hostel in aberdeen. i'd say it can be a stressful job but i have met a load of really good people - all with a good story to tell. i've learned a lot.

Subject: RE: BS: Mudcat Social Workers?
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 30 Nov 15 - 02:48 PM

My late wife Jacqui was a social worker and like so many was burned out by the inherent conflicts - the knowledge that taking a child into care caused harm while leaving it out of care might also cause harm, a dreadful value judgment - the knowledge that intervention might be needed but the pressure to save council funds.

But there again I am now indirectly having dealings (through others) with social workers and those in related occupations and so many are indeed unhelpful, judgmental spreaders of blame without understanding, refusers of help when needed and provocative interferers even if not properly versed in the nuances of our multicultural society (in that some things need cultural sensitivity and some do not) - and too many of them god-botherers apparently without full knowledge who demand that others kow-tow to their preferred invisible friend in the sky, propagators (to non-Xtians) of the idea that all have crosses to bear.

Subject: RE: BS: Mudcat Social Workers?
From: maeve
Date: 30 Nov 15 - 05:03 PM

I am thankful to have known many social workers with intelligence, compassion, good sense, humor, and integrity- like Janie and like my mother. I wouldn't dream of claiming the status of social worker for my years of teaching and counseling the hurting people in my life and workplace. It's a far different and stress-producing world to really be working as a trained and effective social worker.

Thank you to those who are in that honorable category.

Subject: RE: BS: Mudcat Social Workers?
From: Vashta Nerada
Date: 30 Nov 15 - 06:44 PM

My mother was a psychiatric social worker (MSW) working with Child Protective Services. The family of someone in that line of work hears a lot of stories (names withheld). And sees a great deal of stress, especially if a parent is working with children the age of their own kids at home. It's a tough gig, especially when states try to cut corners by making the caseload bigger and by hiring less well-trained case workers to take up some of the slack.

Subject: RE: BS: Mudcat Social Workers?
From: GUEST,.gargoyle
Date: 30 Nov 15 - 08:11 PM

Job Development and placement...are some of the most personal rewarding experiences I have experienced.

Sincerely,
Gargoyle

More than one time I returned to the office and told my boss...."You don't need to pay me today...listen to this story...my cup over-floweth..."

Subject: RE: BS: Mudcat Social Workers?
From: Frug
Date: 01 Dec 15 - 06:03 AM

Prior to my early retirement I worked in the social welfare arena for most of my working life. This included working for social services, a number of different voluntary organisations and then a 12 year spell as a freelance consultant trouble shooting and in a development role.

Subject: RE: BS: Mudcat Social Workers?
From: Rapparee
Date: 01 Dec 15 - 09:06 AM

I volunteer at the local VA Clinic, running a PTSD Support Group.

Subject: RE: BS: Mudcat Social Workers?
From: Mr Red
Date: 01 Dec 15 - 10:11 AM

You know - I have to have a jaundiced respect for a lot of jobs I see that people do.
The phrase "I couldn't do it" springs to mind. Not because I don't have the perspicacity or learning ability, purely because I couldn't cope with the onslaught of clients, making decisions about what must be done and still going home and forgetting it all.

What I have done all my life is not easy, cerebrally, but it never gave me nightmares.

I did consider a counseling course once, but came to the conclusion I was a problem solver by nature, rather than a listener per se. See a problem, think of a workaround. Not what a lot of counseling is! Seeing people having already talked themselves into a corner and turned their back on the exit is mentally tiring.

Subject: RE: BS: Mudcat Social Workers?
From: wysiwyg
Date: 01 Dec 15 - 11:20 AM

Maeve, oddly enough I quite agree.

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: Mudcat Social Workers?
From: LilyFestre
Date: 01 Dec 15 - 01:34 PM

I was a social worker for many years.

Michelle

Subject: RE: BS: Mudcat Social Workers?
From: Janie
Date: 01 Dec 15 - 05:34 PM

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.

Subject: RE: BS: Mudcat Social Workers?
From: LilyFestre
Date: 01 Dec 15 - 05:41 PM

I have a BSW and have worked exclusively with children in the school, home, community and court settings.

Michelle

Subject: RE: BS: Mudcat Social Workers?
From: GUEST,Spleen Cringe
Date: 01 Dec 15 - 06:45 PM

... and I'm a mental health social worker.

Subject: RE: BS: Mudcat Social Workers?
From: Janie
Date: 01 Dec 15 - 07:56 PM

Spleen Cringe, I apologize for not knowing, as many years as we have both been here on Mudcat, but I am unclear about whether you are in the USA or the UK. I'm thinking USA but am not certain.

Do you work with kids, adults or both? Case management, therapist, some of both?

Michelle, at the time you were in practice, were most of your colleagues also BSW's? Did you, speaking in general, observe differences in the effectiveness or approaches to families between those of you with BSWs and those with other degrees? If you had colleagues who did not have a BSW but perhaps a degree in another field, especially a non-service oriented field, did you find significant differences in their approaches, assessments, interventions or recommendations from what your own might have been had it been your case?

Any Mudcat Social Workers who have worked in public policy, management of publicly funded service agencies, labor organizing or community organization? Any medical social workers?

For people who might read this thread who have not worked providing social services work - what is your understanding of the term 'social worker?'

Subject: RE: BS: Mudcat Social Workers?
From: Rapparee
Date: 01 Dec 15 - 08:22 PM

40+ years a public librarian, at all levels. That involves public policy, management of a public funded service agency, community organization (to support the place, etc.), dealing with government at various levels, writing management and service policies, etc. et bloody cetera.

Subject: RE: BS: Mudcat Social Workers?
From: Janie
Date: 01 Dec 15 - 08:46 PM

Rap, you forgot to mention your perhaps greatest service of all - Music Stand! :>)

Subject: RE: BS: Mudcat Social Workers?
From: Morticia
Date: 02 Dec 15 - 05:31 AM

Yes I am a formally qualified, registered social worker, as I think you already know Janie. Currently working in mental health but have also done child protection, disability, HIV and Aids and hospital social work. I might be one of the very few that have made it my profession for 22 years now without burning out.

Subject: RE: BS: Mudcat Social Workers?
From: LilyFestre
Date: 02 Dec 15 - 10:13 AM

The only non-professional people I worked with were some of the parents. Everyone else had their BSW, MSW, PhD. (at least in the agency). The people I worked with in the schools were professionally trained teachers, counselors, (the exception being aides but they were supervised directly) etc. The same goes for all court personnel.

I do think it is possible for people who do not have a degree to work with others and have positive results, although in the case of children, I think education is necessary as they are so very different from adults in many ways.

I have seen non-professionals *at work*.....one in particular was doing far more harm than good. This person had a very predictable pattern in their approach and follow up, usually ending in disaster. Of course this is one isolated person that I had the opportunity to witness over the course of time. I'm sure there are people without degrees who would do a fine job but in my opinion, would need to be carefully supervised until it is clear that said person would be doing their best to follow policies, the law and have a sincere intent to help and do good for those in need of service.

Michelle

Subject: RE: BS: Mudcat Social Workers?
From: GUEST,achmelvich
Date: 02 Dec 15 - 03:31 PM

i've got a BA (history and english) and a pgce (teaching adults) most of my care working has been unconnected to my qualifications. i'm now still a basic grade care worker - i think because i am not ambitious and will insist on treating everyone as equal. good training can be useful for a good worker but much more important is having the right attitude to be able to enjoy your job. i am still (i'm 59) an active union rep which i get an increasing amount out of. in care we are always told that the client's needs must come first etc but i don't entirely believe this. if you have a happy, well-supported and positive staff team you can help anyone - if you don't have a good staff team you struggle to provide a service to anyone.

Subject: RE: BS: Mudcat Social Workers?
From: wysiwyg
Date: 02 Dec 15 - 05:17 PM

Janie,

Our thoughts and prayers are with all affected by the San Bernadino shooting today, including your colleagues, especially the friends, families, and communities of those lost.

~Susan