Social Work Career Paths

Career Paths with Your BSW

Child Welfare

Work with children and families, ensuring they are safe and have the resources needed to thrive at home, school, neighborhoods, and communities. (BSW or MSW)

• CPS Investigator
• Family preservation caseworker
• Foster care and adoption caseworker
• Child welfare research
• Child welfare policy and government

Crisis Prevention and Intervention

Suicide prevention, interpersonal violence, sexual assault and abuse

• Disaster and emergency services coordination
• Care crisis responder
• Domestic violence counselor
• Sexual assault victim advocate

Gerontology/Geriatrics

• Social work with older adults with a variety of areas of potential focus in diverse settings
• Social worker in adult day centers, health care settings (hospital, rehabilitation, assisted living/skilled care sites)
• Hospice social worker

Mental Health and Addiction

Assess, treat, and support individuals with mental, emotional, or substance abuse difficulties in variety of settings. The State of Washington requires additional training to be a Substance Use Disorder professional. At generalist level:

• Counselor or case manager, providing counseling, psychosocial support, psychoeducation, and resources

School-based Social Work

Focus on children’s emotional, behavioral, and developmental needs to be successful in school and family supports, often provides the link between home and school.

• School readiness case manager (I.e., Headstart)
• After-school program support
• Family support worker
• Special education related social worker
• College-based social worker (i.e., Navigator, Student development)