How To Start A Career In Social Work

By Rob Zawrotny

Over 600,000 social workers strive every day to make a positive impact on the lives of others. If you’re passionate about helping individuals, families, organizations, and communities, a career in social work might be right for you. Social workers find themselves helping people from all walks of life in a variety of atmospheres from schools to hospitals to prisons to nursing homes and handle casework, policy analysis, research, counseling, and teaching. They deal with issues such as poverty, abuse, addiction, unemployment, death, divorce, and physical illness. If a career switch to social work appeals to you, following is a brief background of social work basics and how to make a smooth transition.

Career Outlook: According to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the social work profession is expected to grow by 30% by 2010 and is expected to grow faster than average for all occupations through 2014.

Median Annual Earnings for Social Workers (U.S., 2004)

• Child, Family, And School Social Workers: $34,820
• Medical And Public Health Social Workers: $40,080
• Mental Health And Substance Abuse Social Workers: $33,920
• All Other Social Workers: $39,440

Education Requirements: All social workers must have a bachelors (BSW), masters (MSW), or doctoral degree (DSW or Ph.D.) and complete a predetermined number of hours in supervised fieldwork. Social workers also have to graduate from a program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). The CSWE reports that in 2004 there were 442 BSW programs and 168 MSW programs. While some people work with only a BSW, career options are more limited, so the MSW or DSW is more common.

• BSW: Accredited BSW programs typically take four years to complete and require 400 hours of supervised field experience. With a BSW, a graduate can work in an entry-level position, such as a caseworker.
• MSW: An MSW requires two years of study and has a prerequisite of an undergraduate degree in social work, psychology, or a similar field. An MSW allows a social worker to work in a clinical setting to diagnose and treat psychological problems.
• DSW: A doctoral degree takes anywhere from 4-7 years. A DSW has extensive training in therapy and research and is qualified to teach in a university setting.

If you lack the educational or professional background, an associate’s degree may be a good place to start to see if you’re willing to make the necessary educational commitment.

For information regarding accredited social work programs, visit the Council on Social Work Education’s website: www.cswe.org

Licensing and Exams: Social workers must be licensed. For licensing purposes, each state has its own requirements, but an MSW is usually a minimum. In addition, licensing requires 2 years or 3,000 hours of supervised clinical experience.

After completing school and hour requirements, social work candidates must pass an exam. The Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) develops and maintains four categories of social work licensure examinations: Bachelors, Masters, Advanced Generalist, and Clinical. Candidates should check with individual boards to find out which examinations are appropriate for the jurisdiction where they want to be licensed.

According to the ASWB’s website:

“Each examination contains 170 four-option multiple choice questions designed to measure minimum competencies at four categories of practice. Only 150 of the 170 items are scored; the remaining 20 questions are "pretest" items included to measure their effectiveness as items on future examinations. These pretest items are scattered randomly throughout the examination. Candidates have four hours to complete the test, which is administered electronically.”

For information on state licensing requirements, see the Association of Social Work Boards website: http://www.aswb.org/education/boards/

For information on exams, visit http://www.aswb.org/exam_info.shtml

Continuing Education: As part of renewing licenses every two years, almost all states require continuing education (CE) courses. Each state’s CE requirements vary in number of hours and approved courses, so be sure to check with the board over your jurisdiction to make sure you are in compliance with CE requirements. Many courses are available online, at sites such as www.speedyceus.com, which save time and money.

Types of Licenses: There are several different kinds of licenses available:
L.C.S.W. (or A.C.S.W., L.C.S., L.I.C.S.W., C.S.W.)

The licensed clinical social worker has a graduate academic degree, has completed supervised clinical work experience and has passed a national- or state-certified licensing exam. This advanced practitioner holds a license that allows him or her to receive health-care insurance reimbursements. (National Association of Social Workers)

SSW: School social work is a specialized area of practice within the broad field of the social work profession. School social workers bring unique knowledge and skills to the school system and the student services team. School social workers are instrumental in furthering the purpose of the schools: to provide a setting for teaching, learning, and for the attainment of competence and confidence. School social workers are hired by school districts to enhance the district's ability to meet its academic mission, especially where home, school and community collaboration is the key to achieving that mission. (School Social Work Association of America)

Other specialties and certifications, offered by the National Association of Social Workers, include:

• Academy of Certified Social Workers (ACSW)
• Qualified Clinical Social Worker (QCSW)
• Diplomate in Clinical Social Work (DCSW)
• Certified Clinical Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drugs Social Worker (C-CATODSW)
• Certified Advanced Children, Youth, and Family Social Worker (C-ACYFSW)
• Certified Children, Youth, and Family Social Worker (C-CYFSW)
• Certified Advanced Social Work Case Manager (C-ASWCM)
• Certified Social Work Case Manager (C-SWCM)
• Certified Social Worker in Health Care (C-SWHC)
• Certified School Social Work Specialist (C-SSWS)

About the Author: Rob Zawrotny is a copywriter for MWI web design. He has been assisting Speedy CEUS - Social Worker CEUS with developing content for those seeking information about Social Work careers.

Source: www.isnare.com

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Are Loc Doc Loans for You?

Australian banks offer what is called "Low Doc Loans" or "Low Documentation Loans" to businesses and people who are not able to provide supporting documentation to prove their income.

What is a Low Doc Loan?

Low Doc Loans (and Low Doc Home Loans) were created to streamline the loan application process for the ever growing self employed borrowers. The home and commercial Low Doc loans are designed for people to have the means to meet the loan repayments but are not able to provide sufficient documentation to support their income.
Normally a lending financial institution would require the prospective borrower to provide with two years of personal or business tax returns or audited business financials. Some business owners find it hard to keep the paperwork up to date, and the banks understand it. The lenders reduced the verification paperwork requirement to a letter of “Self Certification” where the borrower confirms that they are able to meet loan repayments without undue hardship.

Low Doc Loans are basically the same as any other bank loans, but with a slightly higher interest rate to cover the extra risk the bank will take to provide the borrower with money. Low Doc Loans can have a variable rate or a fixed rate interest arrangement.

Low Doc Loans vs Bad Credit Loans

It is important not to confuse "Low Doc Loans" with "bad credit loans". Bad credit implies that the borrower had problems with paying bills on time or even bankruptcy in the past. Low Doc loans are not only for people with bad credit. They are primarily designed to avoid the extensive paperwork for self employed or small businesses. Whether the borrower has bad credit or not, the new loan will need to be secured against the borrowers assets, be it property, business or something else. The banks in Australia will ask for some tangible proof that the new loan payments will be met and the new loan will not jeopardise the borrower's ability to meet his or her daily financial needs. You may like to see this bad credit mortgage overview.

How much Can I Borrow?

Low Doc loans function in much the same way as any other bank loan. The lender normally will allow people to borrow any amount that is less than or equal to 60% of the value of the security provided.

Some banks will let people borrow up to $2,500,000 if the amount is between 60% and 80% of the value of the security. For anything more than 80% of the value of the provided security, you may need to shop around. And also seriously reconsider your ability to make the repayments.

What Can I borrow for?

Low Doc loans are available for any legitimate purpose, including investment or owner occupied properties, small business needs, car loans and more.

Low Doc Loans for Self-employed

If you run your own company and you don't have all the paperwork that is required to apply for a bank loan, low doc loan may be the answer. It will allow you to obtain the finance when you want without the usual financial statements, paperwork or tax returns. Some businesses use it as a “step in the door”, to get the finances when they are critically needed. Once the business starts repayments and organises its financials, the loan can be refinanced for a more acceptable terms.

Low Doc Loans for people with low income

It is absolutely critical for people with low income to do a proper budget forecast for the next few years. The Low Doc Loan application may not ask you for income supporting documents, but the bank will definitely ask you to make the minimal repayments. In additions to that, as mentioned above, all Low Doc loans need to be secured against the borrower's assets and you can only borrow up to 60% of the value of the security provided. If you are not able to meet the repayment commitments, the bank may reclaim the assets that were provided to secure the loan.

Who offers Low Doc Loans?

Low Doc Loans and Low Doc Home Loans are offered by most financial lending brokers as well as major Australian banks, home societies and credit unions. It is a good idea, however, to approach major banks first, for a conditional loan preapproval. A 20-min appointment with a mortgage officer in the bank will give you a clear understanding of what you can and cannot do with your money and assets. People often forget that the banks are just as keen to win your business as any other financial broker. It is actually cheaper for the bank to lend money directly to borrowers, than pay commission to financial brokers for every customer they refer.

Low Doc Loan Refinancing

Even if your initial Low Doc Loan was secured through a financial broker, it is likely that it will be serviced by one of the major banks in Australia. Once you organised your documents (tax returns etc), go back to the bank that gave you money (not to the broker!) and ask them if you are able to refinance your low doc loan. You may be surprised how easy the process is to get a better deal and get out of the Low Doc lending agreement.

For more information about low doc loans and bad credit mortgage visit AusBusiness Review.

Author: Guennadi M originally published at 7Books Free Articles.