Child, Family, and School Social Workers
Provide 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. May assist parents, arrange adoptions, and find foster homes for abandoned or abused children. In schools, they address such problems as teenage pregnancy, misbehavior, and truancy. May also advise teachers.
- Median pay
- $59,550
- Doing it now
- 405,100
- By 2035
- Up 4.4%
- Usually needs
- Bachelor's degree
a year
across the country
33,900 openings a year
to get in
What the work involves
- Interview clients individually, in families, or in groups, assessing their situations, capabilities, and problems to determine what services are required to meet their needs.
- Counsel individuals, groups, families, or communities regarding issues including mental health, poverty, unemployment, substance abuse, physical abuse, rehabilitation, social adjustment, child care, or medical care.
- Maintain case history records and prepare reports.
- Consult with parents, teachers, and other school personnel to determine causes of problems, such as truancy and misbehavior, and to implement solutions.
- Counsel parents with child rearing problems, interviewing the child and family to determine whether further action is required.
- Develop and review service plans in consultation with clients and perform follow-ups assessing the quantity and quality of services provided.
- Collect supplementary information needed to assist client, such as employment records, medical records, or school reports.
What to study
The fields of study the Department of Education links to this occupation, most widely taught first.
- Social WorkSee 621 colleges that teach it
- Mental and Social Health Services and Allied ProfessionsSee 138 colleges that teach it
- Criminal Justice and CorrectionsSee 956 colleges that teach it
- Research and Experimental PsychologySee 226 colleges that teach it
Who it suits
O*NET scores every occupation on six interest dimensions. This one leans hardest on these three.
Helping and teaching
Organised and precise
Analytical and curious
Careers like this one
Where this comes from: the description and the task list are O*NET, which the Department of Labor maintains. Pay, workforce size, outlook and the education normally needed are the Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections programme, 2025 wages and 2025 to 2035 projections. Half of them earn more than $59,550 a year, which means half earn less, and what you would earn depends on where you work and how long you have been doing it. The fields of study come from the National Center for Education Statistics crosswalk.