I have many reasons to work with kids as a social worker; however, the central one is my affection for children. I believe working with kids will allow me to work for their protection and welfare. In the current world, millions of children are living unprotected lives, depicting the need for social workers. I have a dream of making a better future for children who need assistance and support. It would provide me with the opportunity to work with children of different communities, thus helping me develop an understanding of human behaviors, beliefs, and cultures.
I am committed to helping children and making better use of my life. Several experiences stimulated my passion for social work, including the news of displaced or abandoned children. I think children who are homeless or lack family support need more professional help (Osofsky & Osofsky, 2017).
Social workers working with children face many challenges, including limited resources, no family support, and lack of access to psychological and healthcare facilities. Social workers face social problems when they work with children belonging to different cultures and backgrounds. It is often difficult for the social worker to express compassion and help children who display language gaps. Dealing with children undergoing psychological turmoil due to past terrible experiences is even tougher and involves a complex range of challenges. Dealing with children exhibiting complex medical symptoms also affects the social workers personally. The social worker addresses all social problems that the children face, such as dealing with children who suffer child abuse or violence. Stopping family violence poses greater challenges for social workers as they cannot stay with the kid all the time. A child under such circumstances remains a victim of physical violence, negatively affecting his physical and mental health. To address the issue, the worker needs to educate the parents and family members about the adversities of violence. The social worker also addresses the issue by providing information related to child protection. Identifying the most suitable place for a child represents further threats to the social worker (Domakin, 2013).
Eradicating social isolation represents another social problem for the social worker. Many children who undergo physical abuse are separated from society as they remain frightened. They are unable to trust anyone, which results in their isolation. Past experiences traumatize them and remain in their memory, posing high risks for the social worker. It requires energy and effort to make children normal and help them regain normalcy. Homelessness is another social problem, as children having no homes develop fear and unproductive feelings. Providing home security to these children remains one of the serious concerns. Health development involves the enhancement of both physical and mental health. The social worker needs to address the problem of psychological complications, such as preventing behavioral problems, aggression, and self-destruction (Rogowski, 2012).
Creating a social response to changing environments needs concentration and attention. Children exhibit discomfort when their environment and surroundings change. Social workers address discomfort and face risks in eliminating the threats of a new environment. Children belonging to poor backgrounds or those who experienced racial inequalities display disturbing behaviors. The social worker needs to address the issue by helping children in coping with difficulties. Building financial support is the biggest threat to the social worker’s need to find an appropriate donor for the child. Giving a child in the wrong hands affects his future and development, posing the risk of scrutiny. The social worker addresses the issue by reducing economic hardships and minimizing insecurities that the child may encounter in the future. Providing quality education remains another concern for the social worker. Identifying environmental and social problems faced by the child in school involves risks. The practice involves identifying the engagement of teachers in inappropriate and wrong behavior, such as discrimination due to the racial and economic conditions of the child (Thompson, 2000).
Social workers follow the laws and standards defined by the organizations where they are employed. They are often non-profit organizations and are responsible for raising funds for the welfare of children. They face limitations when working with government agencies, community organizations, or private NGOs. Conflict theory explains the social systems that social workers have to deal with. They encounter many conflicting situations where they need to choose between organizational goals and child welfare. The power and structures affect the neutrality, such as disparities between children. Social workers face the challenge of acting against the agency’s will, depicting the need to convince the authoritative entities (Trevithick, 2000).
Systems theory explains the social systems that social workers deal with and poses risks for their careers and responsibilities. Social workers must understand human behaviors when working for government agencies or non-profit organizations. They often identify internal factors that cause unhealthy actions. Family system theory explains the issues faced by social workers during their interaction with clients and their families. They deal with family problems by identifying relationship gaps, ineffective practices, or child violence. To address the social systems, the social worker adopts appropriate strategies such as interacting with the kid in isolation and building relationships of trust. The social worker understands the behavior and identifies the selection of the most appropriate intervention for dealing with the complex situation. The strategies involve the provision of counseling and client-centered help. Social workers deal with different social systems depending on the size of the group. They have to deal with the issue of involving the community at large, such as family, neighbors, schools, and doctors. They also address the issues at the macro level, such as limitations of the social policy (Rogowski, 2012).
References
Domakin, A. (2013). Social Work with Children and Families. The British Journal of Social Work, 43 (2).
Osofsky, J. D., & Osofsky, H. J. (2017). Challenges in building child and family resilience after disasters. Journal of Family Social Work.
Rogowski, S. (2012). Social Work with Children and Families: Challenges and Possibilities in the Neo-Liberal World. The British Journal of Social Work, 42 (5).
Thompson, N. (2000). Understanding Social Work: Preparing for Practice. Palgrave Macmillan.
Trevithick, P. (2000). Social Work Skills. Open University Press.
