Almost everyone who goes through the adoption process will come into contact with a social worker. At Adoptions from the Heart, these agency professionals play an integral role in the psychological and emotional journey of building beautiful families.

group of social workers gathered in officeMaking sure family-formation is overseen by professionals is an important part of modernizing the adoption industry. Social workers are in charge of providing social services and assistance to improve the social and psychological functioning of children and their families and to maximize the family well-being and the academic functioning of children.

March Is National Social Work Month

National Social Work Month takes place annually in the month of March. 2015 marks a special year for the social work community as the National Association of Social Workers celebrated its 60th anniversary. The whole month is dedicated to recognizing individuals who have made bettering others and helping people their passion and career.

According to the National Association of Social Workers (NASW), a social worker’s job is to help individuals, families, and groups restore or enhance their capacity for social functioning, and work to create societal conditions that support communities in need. The practice of social work requires knowledge of human development and behavior, of social, economic and cultural institutions, and of the interaction of all these factors.

For an interactive timeline about The National Association of Social Workers, the largest membership organization of professional social workers in the world, the impact social workers have had on society, and important developments and happenings in the agency throughout history, follow this link.

Interesting Statistics on Social Workers

Often, people don’t realize social workers are influential professionals in our local communities and have led some of the most important social movements that have changed the fabric of our culture. Many misconceptions persist about what social workers do and their role in many workplaces. Social workers are people who work tirelessly to help others and can be found in many key industries and are especially key ingredients in adoption.

  • Social worker at adoption agencyAbout 54% of social work jobs are healthcare and social services.

  • Social Work employment is projected to grow faster than the average for all other occupations.

    • You can begin working as a social worker with a bachelor’s degree as a caseworker or mental health assistant. Coursework in psychology, sociology, economics and political science are likely to be useful on the job.

 

 

To learn more about social workers, the common fields of social workers and to view all of the famous social workers in the past follow this link.
http://visual.ly/social-work-101

The Process of a Home Study and the Role Social Workers Play

In an adoption agency, social workers are most greatly involved in home studies. A home study is part of the adoption process where social workers visit prospective parents’ homes for an evaluation to ensure that the environment is appropriate to welcome a child. Not only do social workers perform a home visit, there are special education factors, lots of paperwork and clearances that are required parts of the home study in order to review the family and home to be approved for adoption. When it comes to the home visit, social workers are not looking for perfect homes, they are looking for a good match between a child’s needs and a family who is confident in their ability to meet those needs.

The nature of these practices can sometimes feel intrusive and are very personal – which is why it’s important to develop an open and honest relationship with your social worker. Another definition of a social worker’s profession, provided by the International Federation of Social Workers, is to work with clients in an environment that includes their interpersonal relationships, economic and social conditions, and physical and mental health status. Social workers’ efforts are centered in environmental situations, which is why home studies are part of what distinguishes social workers from other helping professions.

The Roller Coaster of Emotions That Social Workers Go Through Each Day

Social Worker’s improve the quality of life for communities and individuals. They conduct research, counsel, teach and are the shoulder to cry on for their clients and patients.

This passage is from an anonymous social worker’s blog. They describe their profession in an honest way by reflecting internally and outside the realm of the average ‘About Me’ style:

“In social work, we have a saying: ‘lean into the discomfort.’ This essentially means, instead of running away from what you are feeling, turn toward it and try to experience the emotion. This often is a tool that helps us to continue to empathize with ourselves and our patients. It forces us to be self-reflective, to reevaluate, to become better practitioners.

For most individuals though – social workers and regular folk alike – this is an excruciating exercise. Who wants to sit and be mired in sadness, fear, unhappiness, anger or rage? Our society teaches us that these emotions are not to be tolerated. We teach our children to “turn that frown upside down”; we sometimes teach them and each other that there are “bad” emotions and “good” emotions. And the ones we have to strive for are the “good” ones. This isn’t realistic. And at times, pretty unfair. It denies us our right to be fully human, in all our facets.

To build resiliency is to learn how to sit with the “bad” emotions. It means learning to function in the day to day, alongside how very awful we may feel at times. It does not mean to turn your emotions off and run away, but to try to keep that door slightly (and respectfully) ajar and not let it overwhelm you.

In this way, resiliency is a skill. It is learned. It is a practice.”

Thanking Social Worker’s Everyday, Not Just In March

Even though every month we celebrate social workers, it is important to remember that we should take time out of the day each day to thank them for their services and hard work.

Social workers are instrumental in the adoption world. They put the needs of others above their own every day and their dedication to helping people figure out what is right for them is integral in the adoption process as there is no one right answer. Their job isn’t 9-5, they work when they are needed – nights, weekends, holidays. At a split second they can be called for a placement and we know from experience at Adoptions From The Heart, our social workers are there within minutes. To them, it is more than just a job – it is a way of life and THAT makes all of the difference in the world.

For more information on social work visit NASW’s website at: http://www.naswdc.org/