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Children face many obstacles on the road to success in school. Problems at home, bullying at school, mental and behavioral challenges, and simple economic barriers can make even feeling safe difficult for some kids, not to mention getting good grades. Counselors and social workers are two of the most important resources that kids and their families have available.
Many college graduates with a passion for helping children often wonder what the is difference between a school social worker and a school counselor
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1. Where They Work
You can find out more about specific school counselor duties at this link, but virtually every public school employs counselors. They’re an important part of the staff no matter what the education level. But not every school employs social workers. Usually, states don’t require them to use social workers, but in urban settings, especially at low-income schools, many administrators and school boards find that social work is integral to their students’ success
2. What They Do
The areas that social workers and counselors deal with can definitely be similar and even combine, because the academic and social worlds are usually closely connected for students. But in general, a counselor is much more concerned with what happens at school and how to get a student to succeed in their schoolwork. They can delve into issues of bullying, behavioral problems, learning disabilities, and other things that prevent a student from getting good grades, but they are mostly concerned with academics.
Social workers are concerned with issues that go on at home. This can mean anything from making sure a student has their food and housing needs met to identifying and pursuing cases of possible child abuse. Social workers are also much more likely to meet with parents and school administrators to discuss what can be done about a student’s situation.
3. What it’s Like
In many ways, school counseling is a much easier job than school social work. There are more jobs, you get to spend the day in a comfortable office, and you get to focus on issues of academic progress. But if you’re really passionate about making a difference in the lives of children, many people find social work more rewarding. Social workers can be faced with incredibly hard decisions, such as whether to place a child in foster care. They deal with harrowing and depressing cases, but they can also be the champions for kids whose suffering might otherwise have gone undetected. Choosing between counseling and social work all depends on what you want out of your
Children can potentially have many resources and many advocates on their road to adulthood, and counselors and social workers are two very important ones. Depending on the school they work in and the region they live in, they can end up handling very similar situations and helping students in similar ways. In choosing between them, you have to decide how willing you are to handle the toughest cases. Helping a child learn and helping them know they are valued can often go hand in hand.
