The field I want to enter into is CPS/Social Worker. Ever since I was just a little girl I’ve always wanted to help families in need, and help kids who need it. Being a Social Worker you can help families and kids in need. Rehabilitation and counseling and placement services for neglected and abused children and teens. To be able to get into this field you need, a minimum of a Bachelor’s degree and a licence or certification is typically required for entry-level work. A master’s degree is also sometimes required for licensure.
I have chosen this career because I have already stated I have always wanted to help others. I feel I would be a good fit for this position because, I’m a good listener, I love to help give ideas and advice. I love seeing people smile, and hate seeing people upset. During the field I understand it’s going to be hard. It’s going to be hard getting to where I want to be. And it’s going to be hard once I’m there. Physically and Mentally. it’ll be hard to see others hurting, but i’ll be there to help. Therefore for what I have stated, I feel ask is this is the field for me.
Through this research process and job shadow, I hope to determine if I will pursue the social worker career field after high school/in the future. Education and Training In order to become a social worker there are many steps I will need to take to be successful in my new career. I will be going to Centralia College for either a year or two years, I haven’t fully decided. After that time is up I will be going to Pullman to attend Washington State University. “A bachelor’s degree is a common requirement to become a CPS worker.
Though a social work major isn’t required, it’s recommended by the National Association of Public Child Welfare Administrators and the Child Welfare League of America. However, behavioral health, health services or a related major can also be acceptable. Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degree programs typically offer courses that cover how to interview clients, assess their needs and formulate potential solutions for the problems they face. Other skills learned may include crisis intervention, case management, community outreach, community organizing, research, and advocacy.
These degree programs generally combine theoretical knowledge with practical application” (“how”). The second step I will need to become a CPS social worker is, I will need to gain employment in a child protective services agency. “ Many child protective service agencies provide a lot of on-the-job training to new social workers and a support base from co-workers in the field. As a new child protective services worker, you’ll visit homes to assess potential problems and provide either counseling or intervention as necessary. Expect to spend about 40% of your time documenting facts in casework” (“child”).
The third step I will take is, I will consider an advanced degree. Master’s programs can take two to four years to complete, either full or part time, and they do not require a specialized bachelor’s degree in social work. An estimated total tuition, fees and living expense price for a two year associate degree at Centralia College is $21,236 for students graduating in normal time. Estimating the two year cost is a straight multiple of the most recent cost. The cost above does not include grants, or scholarships. The cost of tuition to attend WSU for a year going towards my Bachelors degree is, $10,916.
Mandatory fees will cost $1,050. Housing will cost $6,874. Dining will cost $4,002. The cost of going to WSU if for one year, the total will be $22,840. And for two years it will be $45,680 (“centralia”). The classes I will attend will most likely be psychology, criminal justice. in addition, field experience in a social services setting is needed for most programs. Even though schooling is going to cost a lot, and put me into debt, I still will continue to pursue my dreams. Job skills, Talents and Experience There are many job skills, and talents that are needed to be a CPS Social Worker, and I am willing to work on all of them.
A few of the special skills you need to become a Social Worker is,” Active listening – giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times. ” Another skill is, “Critical thinking – using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems. ” An important skill is, “complex problem solving – identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions (“your uide”). Knowledge is also needed to become a social worker, “Psychology – knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders. ”
Work styles is also very important in the social working field, “Concern for others – this job requires being sensitive to others’ needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job. Also, “Self Control – job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations. ” and, “Achievement/Effort – job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks. (“advocacy”). I can easily apply my skills and talents into this field, I’m very compassionate when it comes to working and helping others. I can gain more and more experience by, doing job shadows at the local DSHS and volunteering with them as well.
I can learn more about it before making a decision as well. “The best way to learn about social work is to volunteer! There are volunteer opportunities in all communities that can give you a sense of purpose as a social worker. Many social workers in hospitals, schools, and community organizations around the country are seeking volunteers. Volunteering not only allows me to meet social workers and learn about what social workers do, it may also provide me with some experience I need to work directly with individuals, families or groups and/or my community.
To look for volunteer opportunities, I can start by contacting local schools, churches, or community centers. (“what”) I plan to continue volunteering at the local DSHS office where i had my job shadow. I think I’m suited for this career because like I have stated before I’m very compassionate when it comes to helping others. I also work very hard. I do very well speaking with others and in groups. Earnings A big factor in deciding which career one would like to pursue is the salary. “Social workers who specialize in children and family welfare made a median salary of $42,120 in 2014, according to the BLS.
The best-paid 10 percent in the field earned around $72,510, while the lowest-paid made approximately $27,500. The school system offers some of the best salaries for this position. The top-paying metropolitan areas include Houma, Louisiana; Springfield, illinois; and Waterbury, Connecticut”. The median income for a CPS Social Worker is $42,120. The salary outlook per year in Washington state is, $45,208 – $50,872 per year (“benefits”). The state with the highest paying wage for a CPS Social Worker is Connecticut. They make $63,020 a year.
The factors that affect the salary range would be where I live. The salary would differ depending on what part of the U. S I live in. The Expenses needed for this career would most likely depend on where you go to college, and how much college will be. “As many as 37% of public four-year school graduates have too much debt to manage on a social work salary. According to the Council on Social Work Education’s report, 2013 Statistics on Social Work Education in the United States, 81% of baccalaureate graduates, 80. % of Master’s graduates, and 65. 5% of doctoral graduates have loan debt.
The mean amount of loan debt ranged from $31,880 to $42,149. 1 According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, a social worker’s median salary is only $45,500 (“summary”). Although this career will cost me a lot of money and it will take some time, I will proceed to continue towards this dream. Benefits/Health Factors The most benefit of being a CPS Social Worker would most likely be that, “Social workers also benefit from relatively strong career stability.
The U. S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projected a 19 percent growth rate in social worker jobs from 2012 to 2022. Social work is perpetually necessary as communities always have citizens who need help dealing with poverty and other economic and societal challenges. Becoming a social worker is one of the quickest paths into the social justice field. Some social worker jobs are available with a bachelor’s degree, and a master’s of social work degree affords a person significant opportunities and career flexibility in social work. Another benefit to social work is the ability to advocate in areas of passion.
Someone with a passion for children can specialize in agencies that help children and families with children. Social workers interested in criminal justice may help ex-convicts as they try to assimilate back into society. Schools and hospitals offer additional opportunities for specialized social workers. ” (“reference”). The safety factors of being a CPS Social Worker are, “Everyday social workers across this country provide a wide range of services in increasingly complex environments including child welfare agencies, schools, mental health centers and hospitals.
Safety can be a concern in many of these settings. Social workers are often engaging in risky situations without proper safety training, a partner or limited safety equipment. Unfortunately, too many social workers have been the targets of verbal and physical assaults and some have even tragically lost their lives while performing their job responsibilities. Concerns related to the safety of social workers are brought to the attention of the public each time social worker is killed “in the line of duty. ” This is a critical issue to the National Association of Social Workers and its 55 chapters.
Recently, NASW CEO Angelo McClain spoke about approaches to improve social worker safety in NASW’s Social Workers Speak Blog” (“socialwork”). Benefits of being a social worker are, “Regardless of what profession one chooses to pursue, whether it’s accounting, social work, or even engineering there’s always a benefit to earning a higher degree, such as a master’s or a doctorate. Aside from simply earning a higher salary, which is most often the case, there’s the reality that a higher degree translates into holding a more prominent position that, without a doubt, leads to more responsibilities.
With the area of social work this, not surprisingly, is often the case. When someone holds a Master’s degree in social work rather than just a Bachelor’s degree their opportunities for jobs become far more extensive, opportunities that reach areas more focused on the health aspect of the field rather than simply resolving various social issues that could include anything from addiction, to child neglect or abuse, and even long-term unemployment; all issues that can have an enormous impact on one’s mental and emotional well-being.
It may even be assumed that when earning a Master’s degree in this field makes it far more likely for a licensed social worker to secure a position that’ll ensure a secure future with a generous salary” (“career”). Becoming a social worker is going to be a lot of stress and work but I wouldn’t want to be anything else, after my job shadow, I know this is what I want to be. Employment There are many factors that can influence the availability of jobs in my career. Overall employment of social workers is projected to grow 12 percent from 2014 to 2024, faster than the average for all occupations.
Employment growth will be driven by increased demand for healthcare and social services, but will vary by social worker specialty. Employment of child, family, and school social workers is projected to grow 6 percent from 2014 to 2024, about as fast as the average for all occupations. Child and family social workers will be needed to work with families to strengthen parenting skills, prevent child abuse, and identify alternative homes for children who are unable to live with their biological families. in schools, more social workers will be needed due to rising student enrollments.
However, employment growth of child, family, and school social workers may be limited by federal, state, and local budget constraints. Employment of healthcare social workers is projected to grow 19 percent from 2014 to 2024, much faster than the average for all occupations. Healthcare social workers will continue to be needed to help aging populations and their families adjust to new treatments, medications, and lifestyles” (“social worker”). Employment of mental health and substance abuse social workers is projected to grow 19 percent from 2014 to 2024, much faster than the average for all occupations.
Employment will grow as more people seek treatment for mental illness and substance abuse. in addition, drug offenders are more than likely being sent to treatment programs, which are staffed by these social workers, rather than being sent to jail” (bls). The likelihood of me being able to get this job, is pretty good, while I was job shadowing, the social workers had told me that I would most likely end up becoming a social worker and that I would love it. This career is all throughout the world, social workers are everywhere.
Social work is one of those careers in which you can truly make a difference in people’s lives. “A Master of Social Work degree can open many doors and show others you have not only the knowledge and the skills, but also the compassion and dedication necessary to work in such an important field. There are many positions a graduate with an MSW degree can fulfill, but here are five of the most popular social work careers:” Medical/Public health, Substance Abuse, Mental Health, Child Welfare, School Social Work” (“usc”). Typical Day A typical day being a social worker is never the same.
When I showed up for my job shadow, the lady that I was shadowing told me, “are you ready for a crazy day, because we come to work each day not knowing what we’re going to encounter. ” Once I had gotten introduced to each of the social workers, I sat down to read a few cases about a child abuse, and children in danger. We waited for the call, and then we rented out a car and we were on our way. We left to a school to talk to a nine year old boy about what his home life was like, we then asked his older sister and she told us the whole story.
The mother showed up and it was a touchy subject and stressful trying to decide if we were going to take the children from their mother. We ended up not taking the kids. They’re just going to keep following up with the family. Later after we got back to the DSHS office, we then left to do an “in-home visit” where we would sit in their house and watch how the family interacted together and asked each of the family members specific questions.
After we went back to the office I got to sit in a room with a one sided mirror and watch a mother visit with three of her kids that were taken from her. t was very interesting because, the children would act so different around their real mother, just for her attention. Although the mother was more interested in her phone than she was in visiting her children. After their visit, the kids said their goodbyes and went to their foster parents, which they were very well behaved with. After I said my thank you’s and goodbyes and I headed home, it made me open up my eyes more because you never know what a child is going through. You never know how they are being treated, or if that’s the way they always act.
DSHS is usually open from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm. The most challenging thing was most likely seeing the kids hurting, it’s a sad situation, and it’s a sad environment for some. it makes you feel extremely bad and want to be able to help, even if you can’t. Although this career is a touchy subject for some, it’s what I will pursue (“Deskins. Rachel. personal interview. 2016”) Aptitude. I feel as if you need to have many skills to become a successful social worker. I feel that this career suits me because, I can work well with others and I want to be able to help people in need.
I have good communication skills as well. After my last job shadow, I realized that this career is what I want to pursue because it was a lot of fun, I didn’t want the day to end, I liked going and talking to the kids and working with the families. I liked being able to go on investigation cases and being able to read up on old cases and find out how much better that family is doing. I feel like once I become a social worker I would wake up happy knowing I could go to work and help a family, I would go to work happy and excited.
Conclusion. Social work has taught me that social justice and sustainability can be pillars of my everyday life. By bringing this awareness into how I live, I become a more active, engaged and passionate community member. Social work has offered a lens with which to see the world. I now have a deeper understanding of the connections that hold us together and the factors that drive us apart. Questions that I have for a social worker are simple; what do you do if a family won’t talk to you? Or wont let you see their kids?
What happens if they take their child and run? What if the child lies their whole way through, just so they don’t have to live at home? I have many unanswered questions, that I will have to find out once I become a social worker. This job shadow has impacted my life and made me open my eyes, I will wholeheartedly go and pursue my dream of becoming a social worker. Though this research process and job shadow I hope to determine if I will pursue the social worker career field after high school/in the future.
