What’s in a Name?
A brief examination of the terms used in Social Work
The things we say, and the ways in which we say them carry a great deal of weight. The individual preference for language used when a social worker speaks about a “client” could vary from sentimental to clinical and depend on a number of things. I personally am comfortable with the term “client” when speaking about those who are recipients of social work services in broad and general terms, as it is concise and it feels neutral if not simply familiar. But I would like to examine the definitions of some commonly used titles as a reminder of the weight these words can carry.
- Client (noun): one that is under the protection of another; a person who engages in the professional advice or services of another
- Partner (noun): one associated with another especially in an action
- Charge (noun): a person or thing committed into the care of another
- Person (noun): a member of the human race
- Customer (noun): one that purchases a commodity or service; an individual usually having some specified distinctive trait
- Ward (noun): A person or thing under guard, protection, or surveillance; a person or body of persons under the protection or tutelage of a government
- Collaborator (noun): someone who works with another person or group
Definitions gathered using Merriam-Webster.com
Education
Where does it come from, and where can it take us?
Education is acquired in many ways. School is an obvious place where people can go to learn, but what about cultural wisdom? What about life experience? What about religious and spiritual learning? What about on-the-job learning? It may be fair to say that school is the most regulated, measurable, and standardized way to learn, but it is not the only educational path that brings value to the field of social work.
I considered myself to be a good student in primary and secondary school, and I believe I am off to a good start early in my college education as well. I don’t seem to struggle taking tests or getting homework done on time for the most part. During the time I spent in the workforce, I often struggled learning new jobs initially (at least I struggled inside my head – I don’t like doing things wrong or feeling dumb) but I LOVED going to trainings for continuing education opportunities. Whether I took a 2-hour online class, a daylong seminar, or a weeklong training for a supplemental skill, I would come back feeling like a brand new person, all motivated and excited to try out my newly mastered subject.
I can succeed in a classroom environment. Some of this is due to my personality and natural abilities. Some of this is due to my privileged upbringing. Some of this is due to my desire to succeed in order to attain the career goals I have set for myself. Regardless, I guess I have to admit that I love school and I love the formal learning environment. Not everybody feels this way, and I struggle to remember that sometimes.
I am not always comfortable learning by doing. As I mentioned before, I don’t like to make mistakes or do things the wrong way. It is uncomfortable and embarrassing for me to feel my way through a problem when I’m not in a classroom or formal educational setting. The greatest way I collect knowledge outside the classroom is by watching what others do and taking notes of the outcomes. I watched the trouble others got into for various things as I was growing up, and took it as a lesson of “what not to do”. For better or worse, I was not a big risk-taker. I am a rule follower. I haven’t ended up with a lot of living experiences relating to firsthand trouble and trauma. I am also biased towards the educational status-quo because I am able to find comfort there.
Gatekeeping
The role of schools, accrediting agencies, and employers
So, allow me to take one GREAT BIG step outside my comfort zone, and address a topic that was brought forth by our professor. Requiring a BSW or MSW for placement in the social work profession creates unnecessary hurdles and further disenfranchises people whose lived experiences earned them extraordinary knowledge, but makes getting a degree a difficult or impossible task.
Even with the existence of modern support systems and the groundwork laid by the social workers before us, many people cannot go to college to earn a degree. Tuition is costly. Limited access to tools, materials, and technology can create barriers. Time spent studying and participating in class (even asynchronous online classes) is time that cannot be spent working at a paying job. Roughly half the credits earned for a BSW do not relate directly to a social work career, yet the credits cost the same amount of money.
A BSW or MSW is not strictly required to find a job as a social worker, but the jobs with higher influence are essentially out of reach for those without an expensive college education. Employers value education and work experience, but it should be considered rare that a person is hired based solely on their lived experiences.
Gatekeeping (noun) – When an individual or group controls access to goods and services but particularly to information and people with power
SociologyDictionary.org
It is interesting to consider the position of employers and schools as gatekeepers to the social work field. This is a sad irony, given that social workers seek to uplift those who are disadvantaged, marginalized, or who suffer from cruel circumstances in life. Those very people, the ones who have experienced homelessness, poverty, abuse, trauma, and discrimination are faced with yet another hurdle if they choose to pursue a path in the field of social work. Their lived experiences have provided them with an education that cannot be replicated by reading books, researching, or reviewing data, but their qualifications are not recognized by the CSWE (Council on Social Work Education) or by potential employers.
Revolutionary-ish Social Work
Hypothetical changes for the future
I am not the greatest revolutionary. As I admitted before, I am a rule follower, I am risk-averse, and in many situations I like to avoid conflict. On the other hand, I can be moved to push the boundaries of my everyday personality when I really believe injustice is being done, or when I cannot make sense of the rules that are in place.
What if we rise to the challenge of becoming revolutionary social workers? We could forge a path and design a low-barrier entry to a career in social work, granting employment opportunities for individuals who are unable to achieve a BSW or MSW. This change could create greater earning potential than the existing non-degree employment opportunities of today. Expedited entry into the workforce would benefit clients and organizations equally, as low staffing is often cited as a reason for limited response to clients. Eliminating the burden of literal years spent learning material unrelated to social work (general education requirements), the financial impacts of college, and years away from the workforce would greatly benefit a new social worker, as well.
People with a desire to become social workers could be allowed to study core competencies, the NASW Code of Ethics, and test for a state license to practice Social Work in a capacity where they are overseen by somebody with greater qualifications. This could be done without meeting the extraneous requirements for earning a bachelor’s or master’s degree. Everyone wins in this situation. It would introduce a greater variety of education and wisdom into the pool of knowledge surrounding those in the social work profession. It would bring more support to the individuals who need it. It would allow access to a meaningful and enlightening career for people who are otherwise kept out due to the educational requirements that stand today.
It is important to recognize that social workers hold an influential position that can change the paths of individual lives, as well as the conditions of society as a whole. It is necessary that some continuity of knowledge exists, and a minimum standard of practice and care is recognized. I would not be in favor of dissolving the entire educational structure of social work training, the accreditation establishments, or even the college programs because those forms of learning and standardization still hold value as well. But we are limiting our field if those remain the only entry points into a career that also provide livable wages and room for career growth.
BSW vs. MSW
A direct comparison of education and employment potential
For those who are interested and able to pursue a bachelor’s or master’s degree in social work, it is important to understand the distinctions between the two. The amount of time, content of coursework, earning potential, and employment opportunities differ between the two degrees.
A BSW program is going to prepare students for entry-level positions as a social worker. They can expect to study the CSWE required subjects, and have the ability to obtain specialty certifications through their state chapter of the National Association of Social Workers.
Students who seek a MSW degree will be asked to choose between a Clinical and Macro license, which will direct their field of study. Clinical social work involves working directly with clients, whereas Macro social workers serve as community organizers, policy analysts, and legislative advocates (Simmons University).
Upon completing a BSW a person will seek caseworker jobs with hospitals, government agencies, and nonprofit organizations. They will likely work with individual clients or in group settings.
An person graduating with a MSW who wishes to become a Licensed Clinical Social Worker must practice for two years after completing their degree program, then pass standardized tests through their state’s licensing authority.
Masters in Social Work with a Macro designation can pursue careers that impact entire communities as a whole, working for public, private, and nonprofit organizations.
According to the NASW, MSW salaries are $13,000+ higher than BSW salaries, on average. See the full article here.
The Cost of College
Below is an excerpt from Research.com regarding the average cost of annual tuition for Social Work degrees in the United States.
Careers for Non-Degree Holders
A brief look at job opportunities in Social Work for those without a college degree
Indeed.com provided some great insight and tips on how to start a career without a degree in social work. Their recommended steps were simple: gain experience, seek training, and pursue certifications in skills that are relevant to the job if not directly related. They created a list of jobs that are suitable for a person without a degree, which is included below.
- Teacher’s Aide (average salary $17,826 per year)
- Childcare Provider (average salary $34,438 per year)
- Community Health Worker (average salary $34,816 per year)
- Case Manager (average salary $42,426 per year)
- Substance Abuse Counselor (average salary $48,859 per year)
For context regarding those income levels, here is a table that shows poverty level threshold for the United States.
Final Thoughts
Change is painful, awkward, and oh-so necessary
Contemplating this topic, as I have for the last several days, I have been convinced that maintaining the status-quo is not in the best interest of the Social Work field as a whole. Social workers are in high demand, and we should be doing everything we can to get educated and get to work, without everyone having to jump through the extra hoops of earning a college degree. I believe it is necessary to maintain some standardization of the knowledge we hold through state certifications and licensure, but those tests should be available to anyone, regardless of whether they hold a degree. I believe social workers should have the ability to move throughout the career field toward any path they chose, whether they work with clients, groups, or entire communities and populations. Their merit should be determined on all forms of education they hold, and whether they are the best FIT for a job, not simply the person who spent the most money on a degree. A person with no degree, but with life/work experience can work effectively a legislative advocate. Another person may seek a MSW in Macro Social Work, and be most effective as a caseworker. States should consider licensing individuals who possess core knowledge and employers should consider hiring candidates – even if they do not possess a degree. Regardless of the accolades we hold, we should be recognized for our individual knowledge and the value we bring to any position as a social worker.
I believe the current cohort of social workers can make this change happen, and will be rewarded with a more diverse working group and a healthier society when we succeed.
Danni
Your blog layout is really nice! I know that doesn’t cover all the research you put into your prompt responses but I have been having such a hard time navigating the platform and wanted to comment on how professional yours looks.
Danelle Shellikoff
Hi Mindy, I enjoyed reading your blog. Your point about education and how school is not the only way to learn resonated with me. After looking at my life experiences and how I could best help those in need, I decided to pursue a Social Work degree. But then I look at my Grandpa, who only got a 2nd-grade education, being one of the most intelligent people I know, sitting on many boards and working with different people in the legislature.
Cultural knowledge: I was lucky enough to have my maternal Grandparents there when I was raised. They taught me as much as possible about our culture, but they only had so much left after assimilation. We are still revitalizing much of our culture, as are other Indigenous groups. We are learning from each other, and many Indigenous classes are taught at the higher education level, at least the ones with the actual history behind them and not untruths. The first time I was introduced to my Unangan language was at UAA. I never had the privilege to meet my paternal Grandparents for them to teach us. UAA was also where I found the class that truthfully spoke about boarding schools. These classes are also available to non-Native people with no cultural knowledge of Native people and no access to how to learn their culture. The University of Alaska colleges are bringing much light to cultures that were diminished to almost nothing.
Gatekeeping: I am on the fence about a BSW or MSW requirement, creating unnecessary hurdles with those with lived experience. My thoughts behind this come from my own lived experience. I have experienced addiction, homelessness, domestic violence, sexual assault, and generational trauma. A psychologist at the behavioral health clinic where I used to work told me that since I had lived experience of addiction, it would allow me to work with their Intensive Outpatient program. Still, those without lived experience must undergo some schooling and certification. I ended up teaching a few classes with the required material, and then I would teach the participants how to bead. I enjoyed it, but I didn’t feel prepared. The participants needed one-on-one counseling, and notes had to be recorded. None of which I knew how to do or felt comfortable with. So, even with my lived experience, I am choosing to go through schooling to be the best I can be. They also did not offer me a higher pay from my front desk position, but I tried it because I wanted to help others struggling with addiction. Pursuing a higher education has been beneficial to me. My general requirements allowed my professors to show me my weaknesses and where I could improve. These classes give me the practice necessary to be the best social worker I can be in my future career. I’m finding out that writing is a weakness of mine, and with the help of my professors, it is improving. I doubt that my colleagues would tell me that I should improve my writing in this way or that.
Here are some thoughts I have for you:
How would one become a social worker and gain that title without schooling? I see your job opportunities for those without degrees, but does that lead to a social work job?
Should they have graduated high school?
Do you think non-degree-holding social workers should be paid as much as those with degrees, and why?
Mindy Haley
Danelle, you have asked some excellent questions and I would like to begin by responding to those.
I believe all of the jobs listed in my non-degree section are various forms of social work. Those positions all have elements of supporting individual and/or public education, as well as problem-solving partnerships between employees and persons served. Teacher’s aides work with individual students who aren’t succeeding with the teacher’s instruction alone. Childcare providers facilitate the development of babies, toddlers, and kids while their primary caregivers are unable to do so. A community health worker may be involved in outreach to help bridge the gap between healthcare systems and the public. Case managers often work with people with medical needs, housing or food insecurity, and children whose welfare is endangered. Substance abuse counselors work directly with individuals fighting addiction or substance use/misuse problems.
I believe high school completion or GED/equivalent is a reasonable requirement for employment in many cases, but not necessarily for all. I, like you, have family members who did not make it past primary school, specifically my maternal grandma. She was successful enough in life, holding many jobs and managing a household alone as her husband went away regularly for work, but she was highly insecure about her lack of education. She did not pursue positions of influence or power, but her gender may have been more limiting than her education.
I think wages should be determined by one’s ability to meet core competencies and should be higher depending on experience – education or work. I have found that government agencies and job positions that fall under union contracts are inflexible in their starting wages or wage increase schedules, whereas private sector and non-union jobs may have more flexibility. But I can imagine a fresh BSW graduate earning the same salary as a person who worked for around 3 years as a community health worker with no degree, or a new MSW graduate earning the same as someone who served as a program director of a housing assistance nonprofit for around 2 years. Maybe my benchmarks are unrealistic – I don’t have a full grasp on what wages to expect in the field, but I hope I’m properly expressing the general idea.
I have to say that this module made me waver temporarily in my own resolve to earn my MSW. But I, like you, want to feel thoroughly prepared for the work I’m about to do, and I do not believe I have enough preparation from my lived and work experiences alone. I have an additional motivation to show my children that it is never too late to have a dream and to pursue it. I do not want to be a person who “peaked” early in my life. I am constantly striving for new experiences and accomplishments – and not simply taking a vacation somewhere exotic or completing a difficult physical task. I want to reinvent myself and fiercely pursue something I’m passionate about, and I’m still all-in on my college education. I just have to thank my lucky stars that I’ve been granted the gift of opportunity and have the means to take this route.
Thank you for sharing your cultural knowledge with me. I do not have strong ties to my ethnic or cultural background (I am white with no knowledge of my ancestry beyond the names of my great-grandparents), so I do not know what it is to see that threatened. I have heard personal accounts of the terrors of boarding schools, and the loss of language that occurred because of them. I am heartened to hear that UAA provided quality and accurate accounts of the past because it is important to know, remember, and understand.
Danelle Shellikoff
Hi Mindy,
Thank you for answering my questions. I am still contemplating the degree versus work experience scenario. If I were a client who needed a social worker, I would feel more comfortable working with someone with lived experience so that I could relate to them. But I would also want this social worker to have the correct educational background and degree. This is my opinion because education has always been important to me. I want to keep learning, and I have that curiosity and motivation to keep educating myself.
It is possible if someone wants to pursue social work and work their way up the ladder. But how would that person be guided? Possibly by another social worker with a degree? Or maybe a company can create their own “steps” to work their way up. For example, we have community health aides in rural areas that need health care providers. But we usually get a community member who wants to work in the health field who doesn’t have any medical training. They start as a trainee, move up to an I, II, III, and finally, a Community health practitioner. With the right policies in place and specific requirements for the potential social worker to achieve, we could see this happening in the future. And then, would the same state license be in charge of these social workers? Or would it depend on the company?
Sorry, I thought about how the hierarchy would work, and I might have given you more questions than answers. But these are the types of questions we need to start bringing to light so that we can see changes in the future.
Kelsey McFarland
Mindy,
THANK YOU for those Venn Diagrams!! I looked for one myself but came up short-handed! I was taking notes and came across that section and stopped to look for ones online, and then I came here because I remembered you had already posted your blog about BSW vs MSW. I put them straight into my notebook, it was exactly what I was looking for!
“Roughly half the credits earned for a BSW do not relate directly to a social work career, yet the credits cost the same amount of money.”
That was a powerful sentence, and pretty perfectly encapsulates the reality for many people out there. In that section you speak about the irony associated with earning a degree in social work, and how essentially it is gatekept from those that social work seeks to help. You also touch on how the system at its current state is slated against those who arguably have the most first-hand experience out of us all, as they have lived it. I share those opinions with you, and find it to be yet another one of those frustrating realities we are forced to face. In your opinion, what are some ways in which we can work to change this?
As a side note, you really went above and beyond with this blog! A lot of the other pieces of info you shared I will inevitably end up adding to my notes, so again, thank you! Great job!
-Kelsey
Mindy Haley
I appreciate how much you liked the diagrams! I made them myself using Canva.com, although I wasn’t convinced it was the best use of my time – finding a website where you can create downloadable tables and charts proved to be a little difficult at first.
Anyway, I haven’t been able to think of many ways to avoid the pitfalls of college educating all (most) social workers besides my testing suggestion in the blog. It is my nature to value standardization and organization so the schooling thing still appeals to me personally, even if it isn’t fair to everyone else. I will keep working to counterbalance this bias and I am interested in hearing any suggestions others would like to offer!
Joshua Escobedo
I want to begin by complimenting the excellent formatting of your blog. Your breakdown of BSW and MSW programs is clear and easy to understand. I particularly appreciate your inclusion of jobs that don’t require a degree. It’s evident that you’ve put a lot of effort into creating a user-friendly experience, and I want to express my gratitude for that.
The words we choose to communicate can be quite challenging. I often pause briefly to find the right word or rephrase a sentence for effective communication. When conversing with someone, especially during difficult times, avoiding negative words or phrases is paramount, as the ability to connect with them is of utmost importance.
I couldn’t agree more on the significance of education. I struggle with the conventional school format. I am a hands-on learner, needing real-world applications to fully grasp information. With some life experience, navigating the curriculum has become easier because I have real-life reference points to rely on. Nonetheless, I firmly believe in educating oneself in their chosen field. While I’ve learned some hard life lessons, I don’t view the education system as a gatekeeper but as an institution that enhances your skills when facing such situations.
Have you ever wondered how some individuals obtain their driver’s licenses? I frequently contemplate whether there should be more comprehensive formal training to improve road safety. I understand this may not be the perfect analogy, but decreasing the requirements could result in a trade-off between quality and quantity.
Your blog exudes your passion for the path to success for social workers. You raise valid points on how we can bypass the educational route and maintain the required care level. My intention is not to change your position but to provide feedback that may help you strengthen your stance.
Mindy Haley
Your analogy of driving instruction is an interesting one to consider. It would be difficult and costly to design a program that facilitates all would-be drivers in order for them to complete mandatory training before obtaining a license. The current requirement to pass an exam, however, is much like my suggestion for testing into the social work field; regardless of how you got there, you just need to prove you know the information.
So let’s shift the focus to continuing education for either scenario. Currently, a person can take certain driving courses to mitigate traffic infractions in many (if not all) states. If a program were launched for voluntary participation in continuing driver education – to keep up with new traffic design and vehicle characteristics as well as changing traffic laws, increased pedestrian traffic, etc. – with some incentive to the driver (reduced vehicle insurance rates, reduced registration rates, free parking in municipal lots, tax breaks, whatever) perhaps we can accomplish the goal of improving road safety without creating a barrier to driving access.
We already know that continuing education is a cornerstone for the Social Work profession, and it would be reasonable to argue that once you are in the profession you may be better able to access educational opportunities – whether through your employer, school, or other professional training establishments. So maybe we don’t have to reinvent the wheel here, but I should have thought to emphasize the part where education doesn’t stop once you’ve got your first job.
Thanks for your insights on my blog, and I apologize for the late response. It was good to go through the thought experiment and consider your perspectives.
Hailey Luder
Mindy, you had a lot of great work here, so I’ll just sort of start off at the top and work my way down. I enjoyed the quote you put at the very top, it’s a good way to grab attention. And I do agree that the things we say can carry a lot of weight to them. I liked all of your multi-media inserts throughout your entire post, I thought they were a good breakup of the paragraphs you’d written, and had a lot of good details in them. I loved how honest you were through your writing, and I have to say I like the title “revolutionary-ish social work” it amused me. I also definitely agree with you that social work can change lives tremendously (obviously, that’s the whole point) and it is very important to treat that responsibility with care. Good job.
Michelle Trahan
Hi, Mindy! You have another compliment for how well your blog is laid out. You really did a beautiful job!
Educational Requirements –
While I agree that experience is an outstanding teacher, I don’t think it can make up for a formal education in a professional setting. I say this as a someone who has had struggles in both life and academics. I believe my life experiences could provide valuable insight, but I would not feel equipped to work in many capacities, such as a counselor or educator. Professionals in the field may also find it burdensome to have to train personnel who did not have to complete the same level of work. I think this alone would decrease the morale in the social work field, leading to a higher deficit of qualified individuals.
I believe there is a place for everyone to serve. I think it would be fair to consider that people have a better impact when they serve in authentic spaces, even if it’s not a professional setting. I also think there’s a difference between a professional and a master. Someone could be a professional but not a master and vice versa. I find a lot of informally educated people tend to be masters on a topic or skill. Thoughts?
Michelle Trahan
Mindy, I was thinking about my response to you and wanted to go back and edit my comment because I feel like my delivery approach was not the best. The point of sharing my perspective was not to convince or talk at you. It was to encourage dialogue on different views and further examine those ideas. Sometimes, I get a gut feeling that says, You could have done or said that better. This is one of those times. So, with that said, I would like to edit my last paragraph to read:
Additionally, I believe there is a place for everyone to serve. Would it be fair to consider that people have a better impact when they serve in authentic spaces, even if it’s not a professional setting? Is there a difference between a professional and a master? Could someone be a professional but not a master and vice versa? I have experience with informally trained/educated individuals who are masters in topic or skill. Thoughts?