When I think about social worker and how I want to help contribute into the filed in order to make a difference for the now as well as the future, the first thing comes to mind is being able to work with children. Talking to individuals who I know as well as in my research I have found that many of current social workers and future social workers also have love and passion for the best interest in children both in the work field and in their everyday life which brings me much joy because I to have a passion for this area of social work. When I think what area specially I would like to work in and understand better in involving children I instantly think about children who suffer from maltreatment which is defined as “all forms of physical and emotional ill-treatment, sexual abuse, neglect, and exploitation that result in actual or potential harm to a child’s health, development, or dignity.” the main reason I want to focus on this is first and foremost the safety of the child because I strongly believe early intervention in regards to child maltreatment is important in order to have healthy and driven adults who then can raise happy and healthy children. Deciding on a strong inquiry based question was tough initially because there are so man factors that can contribute to this …show more content…
I believe this question is important in answering the main question because in my research it will help me to understand what factors correlate to child maltreatment and if there is a common correlation in the risk factors listed above. I will try to understand the “why” and “how” which will help when trying to find recourses and solutions to child
Child abuse or maltreatment of children can occur in all families, regardless of their social class or status, race or religion. Families from all walks of life can experience child abuse or maltreatment. There is no single cause for child abuse, whereas, many factors can contribute to child maltreatment. Many factors combined together, such as parent or caregiver risk factors, family, child, and environmental risk factors, may impact the family which can lead to a child being mistreated or endangered.
Research has proven that the statistics of child abuse have risen worldwide. In the United States alone they were over 1,000 child fatalities due to child abuse in 2002(Child). In 2004, The US Department of Health and Human Services estimate that 872,000 children were determined US victims of child abuse. Approximately 17.5 percent of the maltreatment victims were physically abused(Hmurovich). Every year, there are approximately three million children that are involved in cases of child abuse. Of that, about twenty-five percent are just cases of physical abuse(Lansford). The number of abused or neglected children that are killed each year went from 798 in 1985 to 1,185 in 1996(Bean Child). Child abuse is one of the five leading cause of childhood death in the United States. Although there are so many reported cases of abuse, no one will ever know with certainty how many children have or are being abused(Mankiller). Every year, child-protection agencies receive three million referrals of child abuse or neglect involving six million children. The majority of children abused are younger tha...
A straightforward, transparent profession holds no fulfilling qualities for me. A gratifying career is only earned through many days of full dedication, perseverance and hard work. Providing an important service back to the surrounding community is not only a righteous cause, but a career I want to devote myself to. Social work presents the opportunity to make this difference in the most intimate format, face-to-face. Originally, I dreamed of pursuing a career involving wildlife much like my father, however after attending a career day function in sixth grade I knew I wanted to pursue the profession of social work. Seeing that deep of a passion in someone in their field of work was both astounding and breathtaking. The presenter that day glowed with such eagerness to share the love of her job that she had with us. It motivated me to look into social work as a serious option for my future. With vigorous research and finally job shadowing I knew this was the career I truly desired. Furthermore, social work has aided me in countless occasions such as my struggles regarding pursuing education as a female.
My motivation to be a social worker initially came up by my aunt. Since childhood, I realized that my aunt, a Macanese, was a deaf. Even though our conversation relied on a pen and pieces of paper, we had tight relationship. Unfortunately, my aunt split from his husband spontaneously due to my uncle’s adultery. After that, aunt lost her interest in everything, even making communication with their children. She persistently felt anxious and got hallucination lately. When I was in high school, my aunt was diagnosed as suffering from depression, a seriously one. For quite a long period, my mother stayed at Macau to accompany with my aunt. At that time, I wrote many letters to her on the grounds that I believed words could deliver positive energy. Subsequently, my letters seemed to cut ice with my aunt. She told me that reading my letters could ease her anxiety and enhanced her to stay positive in a day.
What does social work mean to you? Why do you want to be a social worker? When you think about yourself as a professional social worker, what do you see as your strengths and areas for development?
There are many forms of childhood maltreatment. All of which can and do cause both physical and mental issues to the victims. Childhood physical abuse can cause grave physical injuries and even death. Children who are physically abused are more likely to experience cognitive, emotional, and behavioral problems as they grow up, such as depression, anxiety, misbehavior, substance abuse problems, and can grow up to be abusers themselves. Many people have a hard time understanding why anyone would hurt a child. Most abusers love their children, but they have less patience then other parents. But the truth is that many children learn violent behavior from their parents and then grow up to be abusers themselves. There is evidence that physical child
Child abuse is worldwide problem, according to the Journal of Child Abuse and Neglect it is interpreted as any recent act of failure to act the part of a parent or caretaker which which results in death, serious physical or emotional harm, sexual abuse or exploitation, an act or failure to act which presents an imminent risk of serious harm. Abuse comes in many forms such as: emotional, physical, sexual, verbal and neglect. Neglect has been proven as the most common form of maltreatment. Furthermore, some foresee physical abuse is just getting bruised up or thrown around or hurt in an aggressive way, however, physical abuse can not only be physically traumatizing, but also emotionally traumatizing; The physical assaults are usually paired
Child welfare ensures “that children are safe and protected from any harm” (Berg-Weger, 2013). Social workers in this field “protect vulnerable children and help families in need of assistance”, “intervene when children are in danger of neglect or abuse”, and some even arrange “adoptions, locate foster families, or work to get families back together” (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2013). This is the second largest area of social work, especially for those with a bachelor’s degree in social work (Berg-Weger, 2013). The primary purpose of child welfare is to keep children protected and safe from harm (Whitaker, Reich, Reid, Williams, & Woodside, 2004). The secondary purpose is to “provide necessary services to the families of children at risk, to improve conditions in their homes and bring stability to their family units” (Whitaker et al., 2004). According to the National Association of Social Workers, “this system includes both public and private agencies, and works in close partnership with – and relies on – many other community systems, such ...
Child maltreatment can affect any child, usually aged 0-18, and it occurs across socioeconomic, religious, ethnic or even educational backgrounds. Arguably, child abuse and neglect is a violation of basic human rights of a child resulting from social, familial, psychological and economic factors (Kiran, 2011). Familial factors include lack of support, poverty, single parenthood, and domestic violence among others, (McCoy and Keen, 2009). The common types of child maltreatment include physical abuse, emotional maltreatment, neglect, and sexual abuse among others. Abuse and neglect can lead to a variety of impacts on children and young people such as physical, behavioral as well as psychological consequences which will affect the development and growth of the child either positively or negatively based on the environment and agency. More so, emotional, cognitive and physical developmental impacts from child neglect in the early stages of childhood can be carried on into adulthood. Research findings reveal that the experience of maltreatment can cause major long-term consequences on all aspects of a child’s health, growth as well as intellectual development and mental wellbeing, and these effects can impair their functioning as adults. Commonly, the act of abuse/ or neglect toward a child affects the child’s physical, behavioral development and growth, which can be positive or negative, depending on the child’s environment and agency. Another way to understand how the act has affected the child is to look at the child for who they are, and interviewing and observing their behaviors of their everyday life.
My reasoning behind deciding to pursue a career in social work stems from my seemingly innate desire to see others succeed in fulfilling their potential. Although it feels somewhat of a cliché, my passion and desire for the field of social work originates from a genuine wish to make a positive difference in people’s lives.
Reflecting back on my childhood, I always had a vivid imagination. I would imagine being a doctor, lawyer, or even the first female president of the United States of America. But, I never considered a career in social work. Over the years I realized that I like helping people, but my thoughts of what I wanted to be were indifferent. In high school my counselor had me do a career survey to see what may have interest me. The most common choices were Nursing, Teaching, or becoming a Social Worker. So I went on the Internet and researched as much as I could on each career choice. Nevertheless, at that point of my life I thought that Nursing was the best career choice for me.
The interactions between businesses and government has become more complex and fall under a wider and wider purview, thus the need for government affairs specialists has increased proportionally. The influence of government is not just on politics, it is on policy and specifically, the policies that impact the cause that you are invested in. Two choices immediately come to mind: consultants and lobbyists (Neher & Sandin, 2007). Professionals in these two areas are sometimes thought of interchangeably, but in fact, there are important differences. How they approach a solution, how they are regulated and the power that they hold are key distinctions.
Social workers are described as “helpers,” because they help others resolve problems, obtain resources, provide support during crises, and facilitate social responses to needs. In my opinion, to be a social worker, you need to have a passion for helping others. Having personal experiences in the field of social work you want to work in is also good to have.
According to the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) (n.d.), the causes of child abuse are 1) poverty, 2) less education, 3) unemployment, 4) changes in address, 5) marital problems, 6) lack of support, and 7) isolation. These factors are not only individual problems, but also social problems. Also, factors are considered to be interrelated to each other. For instance, parents in poverty are at higher risk of abused their children because they are more likely to struggle with economic problems because of unemployment. They are less likely to have stable jobs because of lack of education.
I chose to go into social work because the profession is not only my dream career, but my passion as well. The ability to call myself a social worker is not just my job title, but part of my identity. I have always wanted to make an impact on our world and be a leader in my generation, and social work is where my personal skill set and strengths will be best put to use. As the last 4 years in my undergraduate studies have rolled along, I have developed my unique, personal traits alongside brilliant minds belonging to the future social workers of America. Many of which plan on going right out into the field and using their degrees to make an immediate impact in their local communities. For me, I would love the opportunity to further hone my