What does a social worker do?
Social workers work in lots of different environments, with a range of different people. The goal of a social worker is to help you make changes in your life, so that your wellbeing is improved. They identify the issues that need change, and help you to connect with people and organisations that can support you.
A social worker will generally become involved when there are situations, such as
- trauma
- unemployment
- disability
- mental health problems
- drug and alcohol addiction
- family dysfunction
- parenting difficulties
- unsafe or unstable accommodation
Some things that social workers can do are:
- help you to find safe and secure housing
- connect you with a psychologist or counsellor
- support you to transition between home and aged care, or hospital to home
- connect you to social and community supports – like a local church, or sporting group
- advocate for you, if you are not able to do so yourself
- connect you with rehabilitation services
- provide case management services, and help with coordinating your supports
Social workers operate in a range of environments, including:
- disability services
- community health centres
- hospitals
- aged care facilities
- education facilities
- mental health settings
- drug and alcohol services
- private clinics
- refugee facilities
- correctional institutions
- universities and research facilities, and
- government departments, such as child protection.
Where do I find social workers?
You can find a list of social workers here. For those working in the disability sector needing to find a social worker who specialises in working with participants and families with disabilities, you can head to the NDIS provider finder on the MyPlace Portal and search for providers by profession.