How To Become a Child, Family and School Social Worker

What degree do you need

One of the most common questions that we always get is what major or degree do I need to become CPS Social Workers or what courses do I need to take.

We also asked CPS Social Workers what did they major in college or university and here are the top 5 most popular majors that came up.

Most Child, Family, and School Social Workers need a bachelor’s degree in social work (BSW). However, some employers may hire workers who have a bachelor’s degree in a related field, such as psychology or sociology. Unlike most social workers, clinical social workers must have a master’s degree and two years of post-master experience in a supervised clinical setting.

How hard is it

You will need a considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge or experience to be a Child, Family and School Social Worker. For example, an accountant must complete 4 years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.

Careers in this difficulty category will usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training. These careers usually involve coordinating, supervising, managing, or training others. Similar careers include sales managers, database administrators, chemists, and art directors.

License and certifications

All states have some type of licensure or certification requirement, which varies by state. All states require clinical social workers to be licensed. However, some states provide exemptions for clinical social workers who work in government agencies. Becoming a licensed clinical social worker usually requires a master’s degree in social work and a minimum of 2 years or 3,000 hours of supervised clinical experience after graduation. After completing their supervised experience, clinical social workers must pass a clinical exam to be licensed. Because licensing requirements vary by state, those interested should contact their state board. Most states also have licenses for Child, Family, and School Social Workers. For more information about regulatory licensure board by state, contact the Association of Social Work Boards.

Skills required

We asked other CPS Social Workers if they could only have 5 skills, what would they be. Here is what they said.

Knowledge required

Just like any other job, you will need certain know-hows to excel at your job. CPS Social Workers are generally very knowledgeable in these 5 key areas.

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