Family Social Worker

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Requirements

77% Match

Career Spectrum

Resources

Overview

Description
Family social workers provide social services and assistance to improve the social and
psychological functioning of children and their families. This aids in maximizing the
family's well-being and the academic functioning of children. They help parents find
services, such as child care, or apply for benefits and help arrange adoptions, locate foster
families, or work to get families back together.
Family social workers may also work in schools to address such problems as teenage
pregnancy, misbehaviour, and truancy. They may also work with and advise teachers.

Sample Job Titles: Case Manager, Case Worker, Child Protective Services Social Worker

Provincial Outlook

Estimated Salary

$42,840 - $100,328
Learn More

Education Level
Secondary School
On-the-job Training
College/Apprenticeship

Learn More

Compatibility

77%
Match

Related Occupations

Health Educator

University

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Related Videos

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A Career in Social Work

There are so many careers

I Wanna Be a Social
Worker

How to Become a Social

Worker

out there, that it's hard to

Rebecca meets Danielle to

Become a social worker by

know...

find out what a day in the life

receiving a bachelor's...

of...

Workplace

Work Environment
Family social workers work in the following settings:
- Hospitals, primary care settings, and clinics, including veterans clinics
- Nursing homes
- Community mental health clinics
- Private practices
- Provincial and local governments
- Schools
- Colleges and universities
- Substance abuse clinics
- Military bases and hospitals
- Correctional facilities
- Child welfare agencies

Although most social workers work in an office, they may spend time visiting clients.
School social workers may be assigned to multiple schools and travel around the school
district to see students. Understaffing and large caseloads may cause the work to be
stressful.

Main Duties

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.
Interview clients individually, in families, or in groups, assessing their situations,
capabilities, and problems, to determine what services they require.
Provide, find, or arrange for support services, such as child care, homemaker service,
prenatal care, substance abuse treatment, job training, counseling, or parenting
classes.
Serve as contact between students, homes, schools, family services, child guidance
clinics, courts, protective services, doctors, and other contacts, to help children who
face problems such as disabilities, abuse, or poverty.
Meet with clients to develop and review and perform follow-ups assessing the
services provided.
Counsel parents with child rearing or parenting problems, interviewing the child and
family to determine whether further action is required.
Arrange for medical, psychiatric, and other tests that may reveal causes of difficulties
and indicate solutions.
Refer clients to community resources for services such as job placement, debt
counseling, legal aid, housing, medical treatment, or financial assistance, and provide
concrete information, such as where to go and how to apply.
Maintain case history records and prepare reports.
Collect supplementary information needed to assist client, such as employment
records, medical records, or school reports.

Important Skills

Compassion. Family social workers often work with people who are in stressful and
difficult situations. To develop strong relationships, they must have compassion and
empathy for their clients.
Interpersonal skills. Being able to work with different groups of people is essential for
family social workers. They need strong people skills to foster healthy and productive
relationships with their clients and colleagues.
Listening skills. Clients talk to social workers about challenges in their lives. To
effectively help, social workers must be able to listen to and understand their clients
needs.
Organizational skills. Helping and managing multiple clients, often assisting with their
paperwork or documenting their treatment, requires good organizational skills.
Problem-solving skills. Social workers need to develop practical and innovative
solutions to their clients problems.
Time-management skills. Social workers often have many clients. They must
effectively manage their time to provide adequate service to all of their clients.

Career Cluster

This cluster involves working with families, individuals,

couples and communities, and helping them manage issues
through counseling and mental health services, family and
community services, personal care, and consumer services.

Human Services

Outlook

Job Outlook

Alberta
British Columbia
Manitoba
New Brunswick
Newfoundland and Labrador
Nova Scotia
Northwest Territories
Nunavut
Ontario
Prince Edward Island
Quebec
Saskatchewan
Yukon

Job Outlook based on NOC 4152 (Social workers)

View Regional Data

Salary Ranges

Canada

$37,623 - $89,727

Alberta

$42,840 - $100,328

British Columbia

$42,151 - $75,120

Manitoba

$45,907 - $74,912

New Brunswick

$36,517 - $80,024

Newfoundland and Labrador

$31,822 - $85,616

Nova Scotia

$37,122 - $84,511

Northwest Territories

$26,084 - $111,742

Nunavut

Not Available

Ontario

$38,958 - $93,108

Prince Edward Island

$40,127 - $80,254

Quebec

$33,387 - $83,467

Saskatchewan

$38,124 - $83,467

Yukon

$27,669 - $96,467

Salary Ranges are based on hourly rates for NOC 4152 (Social workers) and an estimated 2086 hours per year

View Regional Data

Employment Growth

2012

150,040

2013

152,886

2014

155,234

2015

157,493

2016

159,426

2017

160,895

2018

162,358

2019

163,871

2020

164,981

2021

166,207

2022

167,507

Employment Growth based on Stats Canada Occupation Group 415

Requirements

Education Level

Secondary School

On-the-job Training

College/Apprenticeship

University

Requirements

A bachelor's degree in social work is required in Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova

Scotia, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba,
Saskatchewan, British Columbia, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut.
In Alberta, a bachelor's degree or diploma in social work is required.
Supervised practical experience is usually required.
Successful completion of provincial written and oral examinations may be required.
Registration with a provincial governing body is mandatory to practise as a social
worker in Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, New
Brunswick, Quebec, Ontario and Alberta.
Use of the titles "Social Worker" and "Registered Social Worker" is regulated in all
provinces.
Membership in a provincial association of social workers is usually required.

Subject Areas

Social Science

Languages

Related Programs

Physical Education

Social Service Worker

(Perth Campus)

Child and Youth Care

Social Work

Niagara College

University of Regina

Algonquin College

Career Spectrum

Interests

Your Interest Type is

This occupation is a

THE CATALYST (SE)

GOOD MATCH

Match Results

Your Results

Occupation Results

Social

Enterprising
81%

73%

100%

56%

Artistic

Investigative
69%

65%

45%

39%

Conventional

Realistic
40%

40%

33%

0%

Knowledge

Your top subject area is

This occupation is a

LANGUAGES

GOOD MATCH

Match Results

Your Results

Social Science

Occupation Results

English
83%

83%

62%

32%

Languages

Technical & Trades

83%

72%

31%

24%

Creative Arts

Business
72%

61%

15%

27%

Physical Education

Science
56%

50%

29%

9%

Computers

Mathematics
39%

39%

15%

11%

Motivations

Your top motivation factor is

This occupation is a

RELATIONSHIPS

GOOD MATCH

Match Results

Your Results

Relationships

Occupation Results

Achievement
89%

69%

95%

83%

Working Conditions

Support
58%

53%

67%

61%

Recognition

Independence
47%

33%

45%

72%

Compatibility
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.
Interview clients individually, in families, or in groups, assessing their
situations, capabilities, and problems, to determine what services they require.
Provide, find, or arrange for support services, such as child care, homemaker
service, prenatal care, substance abuse treatment, job training, counseling, or
parenting classes.

Somewhat

Just a bit

Somewhat

Serve as contact between students, homes, schools, family services, child

guidance clinics, courts, protective services, doctors, and other contacts, to help
children who face problems such as disabilities, abuse, or poverty.

Somewhat

Meet with clients to develop and review and perform follow-ups assessing the
services provided.

Just a bit

Counsel parents with child rearing or parenting problems, interviewing the

child and family to determine whether further action is required.

Just a bit

Arrange for medical, psychiatric, and other tests that may reveal causes of
difficulties and indicate solutions.
Refer clients to community resources for services such as job placement, debt
counseling, legal aid, housing, medical treatment, or financial assistance, and
provide concrete information, such as where to go and how to apply.
Maintain case history records and prepare reports.
Collect supplementary information needed to assist client, such as employment
records, medical records, or school reports.

Resources

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Somewhat

Just a bit

Somewhat
Just a bit

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Community service

Vocational rehabilitation

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They...

supervise social service

emotional and physical...

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Job Search

Social Worker II
Alberta Health Services
Job Summary: Working as part of a concurrent capable team, the Social Worker will provide
information, prevention/promot ... of an approved Bachelors Degree Program in Social Work, or an
equivalent combination of education and...

Dec 31, 2015

Social Worker II
St. Mary's Hospital Camrose
Responsibilities: The Social Worker II provides a range of generalist social work services, which may
include both ... of Social Work (BSW) from a recognized School of Social Work required Registered
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Dec 20, 2015

Social Worker III

Richmond Road Diag Treat Centr - at
Degree required. - Registration in the Alberta College of Social Workers (ACSW) required. - ACSW:
Authorized to ... and problem-solving skills. - Proven ability to work independently and meet

necessary deadlines. - Proven...

Nov 17, 2015

Helpful Links
Ontario:
Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers
www.ocswssw.org
British Columbia:
Board of Registration for Social Workers
www.bccollegeofsocialworkers.ca/
Alberta:
Alberta College of Social Workers
www.acsw.ab.ca
Saskatchewan:
Saskatchewan Association of Social Workers
www.sasw.ca
Prince Edward Island:
Prince Edward Island Social Work Registration Board
www.goodtherapy.org/licensing-board-prince-edward-island.html
New Brunswick:
New Brunswick Association of Social Workers
www.nbasw-atsnb.ca

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