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Lurker with question for Social Workers about MSW
Hey everyone,
I hardly [if ever?] post here, but I do lurk a lot on this board and on the LGBT families board on the bump, and I noticed there seem to be a few social workers who are regular posters. I graduated last year with a BA in Gender Studies and Political Science with the goal of eventually going to law school, but since then I've been doing a lot of self-searching and I think I want to get an MSW.
Just curious if any of you have thoughts about how you feel about what you do, actual information about the day-to-day of what people do in the social work field [why does this information seem to be so hard to find?!], as well as perhaps any thoughts about the financial feasibility of education/debt to pay ratios, etc. Also, if any of you have experience being out at work in social work settings that might be interesting to hear--I currently work at an elementary school in a relatively liberal area of CA and can't believe how homophobic my workplace is.
Thanks in advance! 
Re: Lurker with question for Social Workers about MSW
I am a social worker. I got my MSW in 2003. The reason it is hard to find day-to-day information is because there are so many things you can do with an MSW. Child protection (which could involve investigation, family preservation, adoption, foster care, policy...), medical (working in hospitals, nursing homes, hospice, clinics), homelessness, public benefits, working in schools, individual/family therapy, program management, etc....the possibilities are endless. You don't really have to know exactly what you want to do since you will get to do 2 internships (field work) while in grad school.
Salary is going to depend on where you live and where you work. In our area, working for the government or working for a hospital is going to pay more than working in a nonprofit. My salary is decent for social work - but no where near my other friends who have a Masters and 7 years post Masters work experience (and 7 years pre-Masters) and work in other fields.
As for paying for school - that is going to depend on a lot of things. I worked full time and went to school for the first 2 years and then had to quit my job and go to school full time for the last year to fullfill my internship/class requirements. I did end out taking loans for that year. My advice would be not to pick the most expensive school (if you have a choice.) Unlike some professions where the school where you go to school is judged, it really isn't in SW. It is most important that you have the MSW - not where you got it.
I work in a hospital in an outpatient clinic. About 40% of our kids have special needs and about 90% qualify for public assistance. I make sure kids/parents are doing what they are supposed to in terms of managing their diagnosis/illness (going to their appts/able to get medication) and referring them to community social services (housing, food, childcare.) I work a lot with the doctors and write a lot of letters for families (that the docs sign.) I also cover the ER as back-up and when the ER social worker isn't there. SW goes to all of the traumas that come in to support the families and explain what is happening in the trauma room.
I am completely out at work and have been since the day I started. No one bats an eye and L (and our kids) come with me to family work functions (picnics/holiday parties/etc.) There is another gay man in our SW dept that started after I did and he is also out.
I love what I do (most days!) Some days are harder than others - but I can't imagine doing anything else!
Good luck in your decision!
Thank you so much for the thoughtful and detailed response, 2brides! I really appreciate you taking the time to answer.
I think what draws me to social work in general is that there seem to be a lot of different types of things I could do that all fall under the general umbrella of "helping people" without being so restricted or narrow that I need to know exactly what I want to do without having the experience. That combined with the field work experience you described seems like a good way to explore my various options. I am relatively sure that I want to work primarily with children and their families in some capacity. I have a lot of experience studying social problems on a larger, meta scale, and now I am gaining experience directly working with disadvantaged children and families through my current position [with AmeriCorps]--I am kind of hoping I can combine both of those things somehow to create a better balance.
In the interest of full disclosure I am also positioned to do a few other things--masters in socio-legal studies, perhaps eventually a PhD in the same or related field, law school, teaching credential/MA in Ed., masters in public policy.... I feel like the list is endless, but some of these are more viable than others because I am really not so great at taking standardized exams and my GRE scores are not ideal. I'm sure my LSAT scores would be even worse. It is appealing to think about going to a graduate program that don't emphasize standardized tests to the extent that many of those options do, and I think it says something about the schools and fields in question and their approach in general. Maybe I am just biased, though, since obviously my own scores aren't doing me any favours!
Also, it's sort of hard to get a feel for how the job market is in ANY profession right now. Where I live it's seemingly impossible to get any sort of entry-level professional job with "just" a BA, so a year out with a honors degree from a top-ranked school I am still doing national service instead of a job that pays even minimum wage and can't decide what I want to do! I am pretty young [22], so I suppose I have tons of time to figure all of this out, but it's sort of stressful having no job security right now because my term of service ends next year and I have no clue what to do next.
As an aside, does anyone think it would be worthwhile to take some credits in Early Childhood Education at a local community college? It might help me get a job while I decide what to do with my life, and some of the courses look like they might be at least somewhat relevant to social work in general, although obviously they're pretty basic. I just don't want to look too random when it comes time for admissions committees to see what I've been up to!
Sorry to ramble on and on... I am pretty stressed out about trying to figure all of this out. Thanks for "listening!"
If you are interested in perusing the law or policy - there are schools where you can get a combined JD/MSW or MA in Public Policy/MSW. And don't let testing guide your career - you can work on those things with books/tutoring/classes.
I don't think you need to take ECE - in my experience, it is actual experience in the field that makes the most difference in getting into grad school/getting a job. I'd volunteer before I'd take another class. It'll show a commitment to the profession, let you explore professional options, and perhaps lead to some leadership opportunities. It might be a good place to start since "working with children and families" is REALLY broad.
I am a Social Worker w/ my MSSW. I am a School Social Worker for the public school system where I live (about 100,000 students). I primarily focus on elementary age students and work w/ truancy. I get referrals from the schools on kids who are missing lots of school. I may call the parent or do a home visit or both. Truancy is often a sign of many other things going on in the home.
Many school districts have School Social Workers that do all kinds of different things from truancy to financial assistance to behavioral groups to individual counseling.