Skip to content. | Skip to navigation

Personal tools

Navigation

You are here: Home › Careers › Australian Careers › Careers Descriptions › Community Services Careers › Social Worker

Social Worker

Social workers provide advice, advocacy and support to people with personal and social problems. They also help with community and social issues.

 

Tasks & duties

Social.jpg

Social workers may do some or all of the following:

  • work to advance the well-being of children, young people, their families and communities
  • talk with clients about their problems
  • help people make decisions about their personal problems
  • advise people on their rights and opportunities
  • write reports and case notes 
  • link people with community resources such as benefits and accommodation
  • support people in crisis situations 
  • give advice on social problems 
  • use the law to protect vulnerable children and young people 
  • use the law to ensure that young people are held accountable for their offences 

 

Specialisations

Social workers may specialise in areas such as:

  • mental health
  • working with young people and their families
  • working with Māori communities

 

Skills & knowledge

Social22.jpg

Social workers need to have:

  • an understanding of social and cultural issues and problems
  • knowledge of human behaviour, development, relationships and social systems
  • excellent communication and listening skills
  • counselling skills
  • good judgement and excellent problem-solving skills
  • analytical and evaluative skills
  • skill in applying theory and research to real-life situations
  • an awareness of practical ways that communities, individuals and families can be empowered to find solutions
  • knowledge of community and family support services
  • an understanding of the Treaty of Waitangi
  • negotiating skills
  • planning and organisational skills
  • knowledge of social policy and how it is developed

For those who specialise in working with Māori communities, knowledge of Māori language and culture is essential.

 

Entry requirements

To become a registered social worker you need to have a Bachelor of Social Work, Social Work Practice degree or a Masters degree majoring in social work.

 

Secondary education

A tertiary entrance qualification is required to enter further training.

 

Training on the job

Social workers are required to attend a number of training courses while they are working. In-house training courses may be offered. Registered social workers must undertake continuing professional development to retain their practising certificate.

 

Registration

Social workers are encouraged to gain registration even though it is voluntary. However, social workers employed by Child, Youth and Family must be registered with the Social Workers Registration Board and District Health Boards increasingly require their social workers to be registered. 

Registered social workers are required to have a practising certificate.


Useful experience

Useful experience for social workers includes:

  • welfare agency work
  • youth or community work
  • nursing
  • teaching
  • work with families, children or people with disabilities
  • counselling and support work, or other work that involves helping people
  • work within an iwi/Māori social service
  • work with people from various cultures

 

Related courses

Community Health
Social Work
Welfare Studies

 

For more information, please refer to Career Services.

Document Actions