Job Descriptions

Social Worker Job Description

What is the job description of a Social Worker? What are the duties and responsibilities of a Social Worker? What does a Social Worker do?

Job description of a Social Worker

Social workers help clients handle everyday life problems. Social workers provide appropriate advice, support and resources to individuals who are experiencing personal difficulties to help them overcome their problems.

Social workers work with specific groups of clients including children, the elderly and people with mental health problems. The nature of the work varies according to setting.

They often assist clients who have issues caused by neglect, abuse, domestic violence, mental health and parental substance abuse.

This Social Worker job description example includes the list of most important Social Worker duties and responsibilities as shown below. It can be modified to fit the specific Social Worker profile you're trying to fill as a recruiter or job seeker.

Social Worker Duties and Responsibilities

Social Worker job description should contain a variety of functions and roles including:

  • Arranging appropriate care, resources or benefits
  • Liaison with relatives, colleagues and other professionals
  • Report writing
  • Assessing, counselling and offering advice to clients
  • Budgetary and managerial administration
  • Attending or contributing towards court cases.

Social Worker Requirements / Skills / Qualifications

Social Worker job description should include these common skills and qualifications:

  • Bachelor degree in psychology, social work or related field.
  • Experience working with clients that are affected by issues including neglect, child abuse, domestic violence, mental health and parental substance abuse.
  • Comfortable using a computer for various tasks.
  • Proficient in Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint.
  • Ability to stay calm and empathize with clients when they are upset.
  • Licensed clinical social worker.
  • Able to develop a treatment plan.
  • Knowledge of crisis intervention.
  • Ability to give full attention to what social service clients are saying, understand the points being made, ask questions and not interrupt inappropriately.
  • Awareness of others’ reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
  • Ability to judge the relative costs and benefits of potential social service and health care actions and choose the most appropriate one.

As a hiring manager, recruiting an ideal Social Worker starts with crafting a good job description. Use this Social Worker job description template to save yourself time and help you attract the most qualified candidates. Feel free to revise it to meet your specific needs.

Job seekers interviewing for the role of a Social Worker may also reference it in preparation for the interview.