myfuture > home
Occupation Information myfuture > home
home my guide the facts assist others events search help contact us
Occupation Information
myfuture > home

Social Worker



Duties and Tasks
Specialisations
Quick Facts
Work Conditions
Personal Requirements
Related Industries
Labour Market
Related Jobs
Earnings
Related Courses
Further Information
State Specific Information

Occupation Video
 

Assessing a client's progress and making improvements to the program
Assessing a client's progress and making improvements to the program

Social workers help people to deal with personal and social problems, either directly or by planning or carrying out programs that benefit groups or communities. 

Fact Sheet

Duties and Tasks

Social workers may perform the following tasks:

  • counsel individuals through a crisis that may be due to death, illness, relationship breakdown or other reasons
  • provide clients with information on services to assist them
  • provide letters of referral or reports that will help clients to obtain other services such as crisis accommodation or social security benefits
  • guide small groups of people to share their experiences, support each other and learn social skills
  • help community groups to plan and carry out programs to help themselves (e.g. assisting newly arrived immigrants to form an association)
  • research community problems, needs and solutions through client contact and records of welfare and health agencies
  • analyse statistics and write reports
  • develop policy and evaluate programs
  • manage and train staff
  • attend professional meetings
  • lobby to change social welfare policies and procedures in the pursuit of social justice for all members of the community.

Specialisations

Social workers specialise in fields such as family, youth and child welfare services; medical and health services; disability services; psychiatric and general mental health services; juvenile and family law courts; aged care and disabilities; income support; and mediation.

Info Icon Quick Facts

Learning Area Languages  
Work Demand Including reading or writing  
Work Field Health and Community Services  
Work Interest Helping or Advising  
Organising or Clerical  
Skill Level Professional Jobs  
Quick Facts

Work Conditions

Some social workers travel to visit clients or run group meetings. In country areas they may travel long distances. They may also be involved in private practice, research or teaching.

Personal Requirements

  • emotional maturity
  • keen analytical abilities
  • able to view other people's problems objectively
  • good organisational and communication skills
  • able to work independently or as part of a team
  • commitment to social justice.

Related Industries

Social Assistance Services

Labour Market

Information

Australian JobOutlook for Social Workers

Vacancies

Australian JobSearch for Social Workers (ALL AUSTRALIA)
Australian VolunteerSearch - Counselling and Welfare for ALL AUSTRALIA
Work Opportunities websites

Related Jobs

Community Worker
Counsellor
Criminologist
Diversional Therapist
Health Promotion Officer
Psychiatrist
Psychologist
Registered Midwife
Rehabilitation Counsellor
Social Service Case Manager
Sociologist
Special Care Worker
Welfare Centre Manager
Welfare Worker
Youth Worker

Earnings

View text version of earnings

Occupation Earnings Graph

Occupation Mean Weekly Earnings Graph

How Much?

Related Courses

New South Wales / ACT
Northern Territory
Queensland
South Australia
Tasmania
Victoria
Western Australia

See State Specific Information below for further education and training options.

Further Information

ACT Health
Australian Association of Social Workers (National Office)
CRS Australia
Department of Community Services
Department of Health and Families
Health and Community Service Careers
Queensland Health Career Factsheets

State Specific Information

New South Wales / ACT
Northern Territory
Queensland
South Australia
Tasmania
Victoria
Western Australia

Assessing a client's progress during a home visit
Assessing a client's progress during a home visit

Occupation Video - Social Worker

Video courtesy of ABC's Ace Day Jobs series