Qualities Needed by a Social Worker
The job of a social worker is a difficult one. Not everybody is cut out for this type of work as it requires a special type of person. Social workers are required to assist the public and help people who are not in the position to help themselves. In extreme instances of family abuse a social worker will have to decide or recommend a child be taken away from its parents.
A social worker carries the burden of great responsibility on their shoulders. When social workers' judgement is deemed to be wrong they get full blame. Sometimes social workers are admonished by politicians and the public alike.
Social workersalso take a lot of abuse from their clients when they are unable to agree to demands made on them. Social workers are not loved by everybody and need to be tough and resolute.
On the good side social workers give help to people who have nowhere else to turn and are at a lose end. They can monitor problem families and give aid to poor members of society. They can be called on to give an assessment with doctors to decide if a mentally ill person needs hospital treatment. A social worker sometimes sees the worst of society and in the worst conditions and environments.
So what qualities does a great social worker need? A social worker needs compassion and understanding. A social worker needs patience and an ability to listen and be seen to be listening. A social worker needs an eye for detecting problems or suspecting child abuse. A social worker needs to work unflustered and to understand no matter what, they cannot help everyone all the time, but only to do their best. A social worker needs tact to defuse situations and calm arguments between clients.
Above all a great social worker needs to be compassionate but at the same time remain detached to work objectively and with the clients' best interests at heart.
A great social worker should not get involved with the clients or see clients on a social basis. They should be detached enough not to take case work home. A social worker should not work close to where they live. Social workers should always attend violent families in pairs where possible. Ideally for safety they should travel by car rather than public transport.
The art of being a social worker is, to do what they can for their clients, be dispassionate and not to put themselves or others at risk.
