What Is Social Work, and What Do Social Workers Do?

Social work is a practice-based profession and an academic discipline that aims to promote social change, social development, social cohesion, and the empowerment and liberation of people. This article answers the question of what is social work and what social workers do, drawing on the global definition, U.S. professional standards and federal labor data.^[1]

The International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW) and the International Association of Schools of Social Work (IASSW) approved the current global definition in July 2014. Social workers help individuals, families, groups and communities, and they also work on the policies and services around those people. In the United States, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) counted 816,100 social work jobs in 2025.^[1][2]

The global definition

The IFSW is an international federation of national social work associations. Its global definition, approved in July 2014, describes social work as a practice-based profession and an academic discipline. It states that social justice, human rights, collective responsibility and respect for diversities are central to the work.^[1]

The definition has three strands.

• Values. Social justice, human rights, collective responsibility and respect for diversities are named as central.
• Knowledge. Social work draws on social work theory, the social sciences, the humanities and indigenous knowledges.
• Method. It engages people and structures to address life challenges and enhance wellbeing.

The phrase “people and structures” is significant. Social work does not stop at helping one person cope. It also looks at the systems around that person, such as laws, services and institutions.^[1]

Commentary and principles

The IFSW commentary lists four overarching principles: respect for inherent worth and dignity, doing no harm, respect for diversity, and upholding human rights and social justice. It pairs human rights with collective responsibility. In that view, individual rights depend on people caring for one another and for the environment.^[1]

The commentary names four core mandates: social change, social development, social cohesion, and the empowerment and liberation of people. It says the profession works to reduce poverty, to address the structural causes of inequality and oppression, and to promote inclusion.^[1]

On knowledge, the commentary describes social work as interdisciplinary and says its research is applied and often co-created with service users.^[1]

Limits and tensions

The definition may be amplified at national and regional levels, so national versions can differ in detail. The commentary also admits a tension between respect for cultural diversity and the protection of human rights. A cultural practice, for example, may violate someone’s rights. The commentary suggests handling such cases through human rights education and critical, respectful dialogue rather than simple deference to culture.^[1]

History

Charity organization and settlement houses

Social work in the United States grew out of nineteenth-century responses to urban poverty. A textbook history from the University of Texas at Arlington identifies two strands. Charity Organization Society groups were among the first to develop a structured profession. Settlement houses placed workers in poor neighborhoods. Stanton Coit founded University Settlement in New York City in 1886, described as the first settlement house, and Jane Addams founded Hull-House in Chicago in 1889.^[3]

Professional methods

Mary Richmond, who applied to a Charity Organization Society in 1889, published Social Diagnosis in 1917. The same textbook calls it the first book to set out a systematic, methodological way to document and diagnose clients.^[3]

International organization

Efforts to organize social workers across borders began early. According to the IFSW, an international association of social workers was first proposed at a 1928 conference in Paris. In 1932, eight founding members agreed provisional statutes at Frankfurt for a predecessor body, the International Permanent Secretariat of Social Workers. In 1950 a new body was approved on the condition that seven national bodies join, and that was achieved in 1956. The IFSW was formed in Munich on August 9, 1956.^[4] Its membership grew from national organizations in 12 countries to 80 by the time of its 2006 anniversary statement.^[4]

In the United States, the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) was founded in 1955. It describes itself as the largest membership organization of professional social workers in the world.^[5]

What social workers do

According to the IFSW commentary, social workers intervene where people interact with their environments, ideally working with people rather than for them. Methods include therapy and counseling, group and community work, policy analysis and advocacy.^[1] In practice, the work spans a wide range of settings. Entries on case management and community organizing describe two of its common methods.

Main fields of practice in the United States

The BLS divides social workers into several groups. Its figures for 2025 show how employment is distributed.^[2]

The BLS describes the duties of each group as follows.^[2]

• Child and family social workers protect vulnerable children and help families find housing, services or benefits. They intervene in cases of neglect or abuse and may help with adoptions, foster placements or family reunification.
• School social workers work with teachers, parents and administrators on students’ academic and social development. They address issues such as aggressive behavior and bullying and meet with families about special education access or frequent absences.
• Healthcare social workers help clients understand diagnoses and adjust their lifestyle, housing or care, including the move from hospital to home. Some specialize in geriatric, hospice and palliative, or medical social work.
• Mental health and substance abuse social workers help clients with mental illness or addiction and connect them with services such as support groups and 12-step programs.

Clinical social work

Clinical social workers diagnose and treat mental, behavioral and emotional problems through individual, group, family and couples therapy, and they refer clients to other resources, according to the BLS.^[2] The entry on clinical social work covers this branch in more detail. Many mental health and substance abuse social workers are licensed clinical social workers.^[2]

Policy and community work

Not all social work is direct service. The global definition lists policy analysis and advocacy among its methods, and the commentary stresses structural causes of inequality.^[1] For background, see the entries on social welfare policy and social determinants of health, which describe the conditions in which clients’ problems often arise.

Ethics

In the United States, the NASW Code of Ethics sets professional standards. It states that the primary mission of the social work profession is to enhance human well-being. The Code lists six core values, each paired with an ethical principle.^[6]

• Service: social workers’ primary goal is to help people in need and to address social problems.
• Social justice: social workers challenge social injustice.
• Dignity and worth of the person: social workers respect the inherent dignity and worth of the person.
• Importance of human relationships: social workers recognize the central importance of human relationships.
• Integrity: social workers behave in a trustworthy manner.
• Competence: social workers practice within their areas of competence and develop and enhance their professional expertise.

NASW’s page on the Code refers to a 2021 update that added language on professional self-care and revised the standard on cultural competence.^[6] The entry on social work ethics covers the values behind the work in more depth.

Education, licensing and careers in the United States

The BLS says a bachelor’s degree in social work (BSW) is the most common requirement for entry-level nonclinical positions. Clinical social workers typically need a master’s degree in social work (MSW), which generally takes two years and includes a supervised practicum or internship. A BSW is not required to enter an MSW program, and common undergraduate majors include public policy and social services, psychology and social science.^[2]

All states require clinical social workers to be licensed, and some also require nonclinical social workers to hold a license or credential. Clinical licensure requires an accredited MSW, supervised clinical experience after graduation, often lasting several years, and a passing score on a clinical exam. Requirements vary by state, so applicants must check with the relevant state board.^[2]

Pay, outlook and working conditions

The median annual wage for social workers was $61,780 in May 2025. The lowest-paid 10 percent earned less than $42,790, and the highest-paid 10 percent earned more than $100,090. The BLS projects employment to grow 6 percent from 2025 to 2035, faster than the average for all occupations, with about 50,400 added jobs. About 69,100 openings a year are expected on average, mostly from workers who change occupations or leave the labor force, such as through retirement.^[2]

Employers include child welfare and human service agencies, healthcare providers and schools. Most work full time, mainly in offices, and some work evenings, weekends or holidays. The BLS notes that understaffing and large caseloads can make the work stressful.^[2] These figures describe the United States only.

FAQs

What is social work in simple terms? The IFSW defines it as a practice-based profession and academic discipline that promotes social change, social cohesion and the empowerment of people, working with both individuals and the structures around them.

Is social work the same as counseling? No. Counseling is one part of it. The IFSW says practice spans therapy and counseling, group and community work, policy analysis and advocacy.

What do social workers do every day? According to the BLS, tasks depend on the field: protecting children, helping families find services, supporting students, guiding patients through care, treating mental health conditions or connecting clients to support groups.

What degree do you need to be a social worker? In the United States, a bachelor’s in social work is the most common requirement for entry-level nonclinical jobs, and clinical social workers typically need a master’s degree and a state license.

How much do social workers earn? The BLS reported a median of $61,780 per year in May 2025 for U.S. social workers, with a range from under $42,790 to over $100,090 for the lowest and highest 10 percent.

Who approved the global definition? The IFSW General Meeting and the IASSW General Assembly approved it in July 2014.