Three Different Types of Social Workers
and What They Do

What are the duties of a social worker?

All social workers have common responsibilities and tasks no matter what clients they are helping. This includes meeting with clients, listening to their concerns, assessing their needs and working together to develop action plans. Social workers also educate clients and direct them to community resources.

A social worker’s roles and responsibilities vary depending on the type of clients they work with, the environment in which they work, and even the day. No matter what area they focus on, skills such as empathy, communication, problem-solving, patience can benefit social workers.

While there are common duties, the three different types of social workers—mental health, medical, and children, family and aging services—each have specific duties to meet their clients’ unique needs.

Medical social work: Roles and responsibilities

Medical or healthcare social workers help patients—and their families—who are experiencing physical illnesses or emergencies. Medical social workers typically work in a hospital or clinic setting and coordinate care with the patient’s medical team. They help patients understand their condition and direct them to resources that can address the related emotional, financial and social issues that may arise.

Some duties specific to medical social workers include:

• Helping patients and their families navigate the medical system
• Communicating patient and family needs to the patient’s medical care team
• Assessing and monitoring the patient and family’s mental and emotional health
• Providing short-term counseling and therapy

Medical social workers can be found in various healthcare settings, including hospitals, local health clinics and health departments, long-term care facilities, state facilities for maternal and child health, and home health or hospice agencies.

Children, Family and Aging Services social work: roles and responsibilities

Social workers in the children, family and aging services sector work with people of all ages and their relatives.

Child and family social workers play an important role in improving the welfare of families in need. They help protect vulnerable children and support the needs of their family. They assess risk and help establish safe, stable environments for children. They also provide support to parents and establish relationships with all family members.

Child and family social workers often work with children experiencing some form of trauma, such as physical or mental abuse. Because of this, child and family social workers may partner with the justice system.

Child and family social workers work in a variety of settings, including:

• Public and private schools
• Court and legal systems
• Youth and adolescent health programs
• Family support programs

Aging services social workers help older adults and their families navigate available health and social services available to them. This includes housing and healthcare options, as well as community resources such as meals and senior activities.

Additionally, aging services social workers may help adults plan for care transitions, such as moving into an assisted living facility. They may provide counseling to assist with concerns unique to older adults, such as wills and end-of-life care.

These social workers typically work in:

• Hospitals
• Home health and hospice agencies
• Adult day programs
• Long-term care facilities