Why Working in a Preschool was More Challenging than Providing Counseling
As a kid at heart, working in a preschool was a good fit for me but it was not without its challenges. Working in a preschool meant shifting from a planned schedule to handling unpredictable moments—from managing behaviors and multiple crises in the classroom to navigating the sometimes competing needs of students, families and teachers. […]
Giving Back to the Field through Field Supervision
Field supervisors don’t just train future social workers—they shape the future of the profession. While balancing this role alongside daily responsibilities may seem overwhelming, it’s an opportunity for both mentorship and professional growth.”Taking on a leadership role of this importance may feel intimidating at first, especially when added to our current work duties, but it’s […]
How Social Workers Can Keep Hope During Tumultuous Times
If you’d asked social workers two months ago, I don’t think many would have predicted the state that we would be in today. Social workers often serve the most vulnerable populations, so when rights are removed and people’s livelihoods are threatened, social workers intimately feel the effects. Whether they’re working with clients who are immigrants, […]
Building Rapport with Tough Clients
There are plenty of social work interventions, but the worker-client relationship is the foundation for nearly all of them. Social workers must learn therefore how to navigate all types of client relationships and how to build rapport with the most easygoing clients to the toughest. Common Challenges with Tough Clients When I worked in community […]
How to Measure the Success of Transitional Housing Programs
Transitional housing programs provide temporary accommodation and support services to individuals experiencing homelessness or housing instability. These services typically last for 6-24 months while the individuals work toward securing permanent housing and greater self-sufficiency. There’s no denying that transitional housing programs are critical in solving homelessness. But just understanding what is a transitional housing program […]
Rethinking Casenotes: How Casenotes Can Save A Life: A Case Example
It’s no secret that casenotes are not at the top of social workers’ favorites list. Documentation in social work requires timely and thorough casenotes which, at times, may seem like an obstacle to social workers’ direct work with clients. It’s not uncommon therefore for workers to question the value of casenotes and seasoned peers might […]
Signs That Your Organizations Is Not As Trauma Informed As You Think (And How To Fix It!)
Trauma-Informed in Name When the research on trauma, adverse child experiences (ACEs), and the lifelong risks of ACEs went viral, it startled the entire human services field! The statistics not only shed new light on the vastness of trauma; they also spotlighted how some organizational practices have contributed to negative trauma outcomes. Human Service Organizations […]
The Long-Term Impact of Child Neglect on Development
As a school social worker, you’ve likely noticed the negative effects of child neglect in your daily work. Your role in identifying and addressing neglect early can significantly alter a child’s developmental trajectory. Understanding Child Neglect Child neglect manifests through parental omissions in care that result in actual or potential harm to a child. Unlike […]
How Housing Services Address Domestic Violence: Key Support Strategies
Domestic violence survivors often face a critical challenge that goes beyond escaping abuse — finding safe, stable housing. As a social worker, you’ve likely seen how housing insecurity can force survivors to choose between homelessness and returning to their abusers. The good news? Domestic violence housing services have evolved to offer comprehensive support that helps […]
Documenting Client Interactions: Tips for Writing Casenotes That Matter
Here’s a situation that almost every social worker can relate to — they’ve sat in a meeting with a client and handled all the twists and turns that occurred, but then at the end of the meeting, when it’s time to write their casenote, they don’t know where to begin. Even during relatively brief client […]
