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How to Become a Child Welfare Social Worker

 |  9 Min Read

Child welfare social workers are professionals trained to help children at risk of experiencing abuse, neglect, or mistreatment. They also support the well-being of children and their families, who may be facing challenges such as violence, poverty, loss, or behavioral issues. It is critical that those pursuing a career in child and family social work understand the responsibilities and receive the training necessary to succeed in this role.

Helping children and families cope with trauma, loss, mental illness, substance use, and interpersonal or community violence is a key component of social work. It is also the responsibility of social workers to help children and families navigate intricate social service systems to receive the necessary support. Work in this field takes place in a wide range of settings, and the scope of responsibilities can be vast. In this article, you’ll learn what child and family social workers do, the career outlook for this field, the steps for becoming a child social worker, and more.

What Is a Child Welfare Social Worker?

A child and family social work career requires tremendous skill, flexibility, and commitment. These careers can span many duties, as child and family social worker job descriptions might include:

  • Assess family situations to evaluate children’s living conditions and identify risk factors to their safety or well-being.
  • Intervene in crises and remove children or families from unsafe environments.
  • Coordinate foster care or alternative housing for children or families in crisis.
  • Visit a school to help a child with academic, social, and emotional challenges.
  • Provide counseling and support to children and families dealing with trauma, behavioral problems, or emotional distress.
  • Connect families with resources such as access to affordable health resources, food assistance programs, housing programs, education, domestic abuse shelters, and mental health services.
  • Assist parents interested in adopting children.
  • Collaborate with schools, agencies, teachers, and law enforcement on behalf of a child or family.
  • Monitoring and case management, including follow-up with families and tracking progress to ensure a stable and safe environment.
  • Help parents/primary caregivers cope with social, emotional, financial, legal, or other issues.
  • Advocate for children’s rights and ensure children receive proper care, education, and legal protection.

Moreover, you might be able to specialize in one of these areas:

Child Social Work

If you aspire to assist children, a career as a child welfare social worker is an ideal option. In this role, you will focus on offering “a safe and nurturing environment for children and youth,” according to the National Association of Social Workers.1 That means intervening on behalf of children experiencing trauma and providing the appropriate services and resources for their needs.

Child social workers ensure that children receive appropriate food, shelter, water, clothing, and have access to education and medical attention. Additionally, these social workers ensure the emotional and physical stability of children’s home life, and receive special training to recognize signs of physical, emotional, and sexual abuse of children.

The overarching goal of a child social worker is to ensure a stable and nurturing environment for children to thrive. The need for assessment and intervention requires that the child social worker be trained in child development, family dynamics, parenting methods, trauma assessment, and abuse assessment. These social workers interact closely with families and communities to improve the lives of children or families experiencing hardships.

Family Social Work

Family social workers strive to “enhance family functioning, strengthen relationships, and create a safe and nurturing environment for individuals of all ages,” according to CareerExplorer.2 Because family social workers focus on the well-being of the entire family, they advocate for adults and children, foster positive relationships between them, and have the expertise to provide connections to services for individuals across generations.

A family social worker supports entire families dealing with challenges such as poverty, addiction, domestic violence, food insecurity, or unemployment. Family social workers help families access essential resources such as housing, healthcare, and financial assistance while providing counseling to improve family dynamics and parenting skills. They work with parents to prevent child neglect or abuse, assist families dealing with challenges like divorce, substance misuse, or homelessness, and support family reunification efforts after children have been placed in foster care.

While a child social worker focuses specifically on the well-being and safety of children, often intervening in cases of abuse or neglect, a family social worker works more holistically with entire families to provide stability, resources, and support to improve family conditions.

Family and Child Social Worker Career Outlook and Salary

The market for well-trained and highly qualified child, family, and school social workers is strong, with the Bureau of Labor Statistics projecting employment growth of 7% from 2023 to 2033.3 If you plan to work in Pennsylvania, you’re likely to find numerous career options, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. In addition to being home to Widener University, the Keystone State is projected to have 9% employment growth for child, family, and school social workers, which is 2% faster than the national rate.4 This growth will lead to about 22,440 employees in Pennsylvania in 2030.4 These jobs include adoption social workers, case workers, case managers, child protective services (CPS) workers, family service workers, and school social workers.

The median annual wage for child, family, and school social workers is also higher than the U.S. The national median annual salary for these professionals was $50,140 in 2023, compared to $53,940 in Pennsylvania.3 Keep in mind, though, that salaries across the country will vary by specialized skills, experience level and region. Social work supervisors, for example, had an average base salary of $67,961 in 2025 due to their leadership and administrative responsibilities.5 Social work supervisors mentor social workers, review cases, perform administrative tasks and take on cases as necessary.

In addition to promising career growth and salary potential, child and family social work is a satisfying career for most people. In fact, U.S. News & World Report ranked the position of child and family social worker among the Best Social Services Jobs for 2025.6 Reasons for this ranking included a low stress, flexible work environment. Wage potential, employment opportunities, and work-life balance were all high-scoring elements on the job’s scorecard ranking.6

How to Become a Child Social Worker

Step 1: Education

Obtaining a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) is the minimum requirement to become a child social worker. Most specialized child welfare and leadership positions require a Master of Social Work (MSW). The CSWE-accredited online MSW program at Widener University includes specialized coursework on human behavior, trauma recovery, family dynamics, at-risk child welfare, and more. These topics are essential to anyone interested in pursuing a career in child welfare social work because increased knowledge of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) has led to a strong association with social, mental, emotional, and physical health, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).7 In programs such as Widener’s online MSW, you’ll address the impact of ACEs and learn how to help children and families recover from them.

Step 2: Licensure

Becoming a licensed social worker is not always required for child and family social work careers. However, it can open doors to increased responsibilities, job opportunities, and higher salaries. If you’re interested in acquiring your social work license in Pennsylvania, Psychology.org explained that there are three levels to consider:8

  • Licensed Bachelor Social Worker (LBSW): You must earn a BSW and meet other requirements to acquire your LBSW.
  • Licensed Social Worker (LSW): You must earn an MSW to earn this credential.
  • Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW): In addition to an MSW, this credential requires at least two years of supervised experience.

When researching an MSW program, verify that the school is accredited by CSWE. This accreditation signifies that the school adequately prepares students to be effective practitioners by meeting certain core competencies in social work education. While the licensure process varies by state, Widener’s CSWE-accredited MSW provides a foundation for sitting for the LSW exam and, after meeting the requirements for supervised practice, becoming an LCSW in most states.

Step 3: Specialization Certifications

For practitioners interested in increasing their specialization in child and family social work, there are several relevant certifications that employers may look for. For instance, the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) provides a program for training certified children, youth, and family social workers ready to assist children and members of their households.9 Another certification for social workers with a CSWE-accredited degree is Widener’s Graduate Certificate in Practices in Trauma Recovery. Offered fully online, this certificate prepares you to support populations impacted by trauma, including children and families.

Social workers in Pennsylvania can also earn the School Social Worker, Educational Specialist Certificate – PK-12 to provide services in school settings. This certificate affirms that practitioners can oversee assessments of students, develop plans for aiding student learning, and perform other social work duties in public schools. Before seeking this credential, you’ll need at least an LSW credential and a Master of Social Work degree.10

Prepare for a Career in Social Work

If you are a prospective social work student or a professional looking for a flexible program for career advancement, the online MSW at Widener University prepares you for social work licensure and offers relevant training. Emphasis is placed on child advocacy and treating trauma, with the program allowing students to specialize their degree with the Practices in Trauma Recovery certificate. The program also emphasizes clinical social work and field-based training with essential internship placements. The top-ranked MSW program at Widener is CSWE-accredited and boasts high pass rates of program graduates for LSW exams. The Advanced Standing track allows eligible students to earn their MSW online within two years.

To learn more about Widener’s online MSW program, contact a program manager at 844-386-7321 or request information.

Sources

  1. National Association of Social Workers (NASW). “Types of Social Work.” Retrieved April 18, 2025, from https://www.socialworkers.org/News/Facts/Types-of-Social-Work.
  2. CareerExplorer. “What Does a Family Social Worker Do?” Retrieved April 18, 2025, from https://www.careerexplorer.com/careers/family-social-worker/.
  3. Bureau of Labor Statistics. U.S. Department of Labor. “Social Workers.” Occupational Outlook Handbook. April 18, 2025. Retrieved April 18, 2025, from https://www.bls.gov/ooh/community-and-social-service/social-workers.htm.
  4. O*NET OnLine. “Pennsylvania Employment Trends: Child, Family, and School Social Workers.” Retrieved April 18, 2025, from https://www.onetonline.org/link/localtrends/21-1021.00?st=PA.
  5. Payscale. “Average Social Work Supervisor Salary.” February 28, 2025. Retrieved April 24, 2025, from https://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Social_Work_Supervisor/Salary.
  6. U.S. News & World Report. “Child and Family Social Worker Overview.” 2025. Retrieved April 18, 2025, from https://money.usnews.com/careers/best-jobs/child-and-family-social-worker.
  7. U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). “About Adverse Childhood Experiences.” October 8, 2024. Retrieved April 18, 2025, from https://www.cdc.gov/aces/about/index.html.
  8. Psychology.org. “Pennsylvania Social Work License Requirements and Programs: Become a Social Worker in PA.” January 14, 2025. Retrieved April 18, 2025, from https://www.psychology.org/social-work/licensure/pennsylvania/.
  9. National Association of Social Workers (NASW). “Certified Children, Youth & Family Social Worker (C-CYFSW).” Retrieved April 18, 2025, from https://www.socialworkers.org/Careers/Credentials-Certifications/Apply-for-NASW-Social-Work-Credentials/Certified-Children-Youth-Family-Social-Worker.
  10. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. “CSPG 87 – School Social Worker, Educational Specialist Certificate PK-12.” July 25, 2023. Retrieved April 18, 2025, from https://www.pa.gov/agencies/education/programs-and-services/educators/certification/certification-staffing/staffing-guidelines/cspg-87-school-social-worker-educational-specialist-certificate-pk-12.html.

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