Did you know there are 47 Registered Social Workers (RSW) working with children and their families at Wood’s Homes? Also, did you know that March is National Social Work Month? What is Social Work, you ask?

Social Work is a profession dedicated to improving the welfare of individuals, families and communities. In Alberta, social workers are regulated by the Alberta College of Social Workers (ACSW) which is maintained under the Health Professions Act. We, as social workers, believe in the worth, dignity and creativity of every human being. At Wood’s Homes, we work with 35+ different teams throughout Alberta and the Northwest Territories. This includes contributing to the following program pillars:

• Research
• In-Home Support & Foster Care
• Crisis & Counselling Services
• Street Services
• Specialized Learning Centres
• Residential Treatment Programs
• Next Steps: Transitional Services
• Outcomes-Based Service Delivery

We work on frontline, clinical and managerial teams, bringing unique qualities and traits! So, I bet you are probably wondering what these ‘unique qualities and traits’ are? Here are a couple:

• Social workers advocate: Registered Social Workers advocate for their clients and colleagues. We achieve this through activities aimed to influence decisions within political, economic, and social systems. This may include raising awareness, educating, campaigning, letter-writing and other means. We stand up for what we believe in!
• Social workers assess and plan: We assess and plan with our clients and colleagues to facilitate positive change! How, you may be wondering? We assess clients thorough ongoing processes, followed by planning with and connecting to resources and services for their specific needs. Tis process is often called brokering, and we keep it client-focused and specific!
• Social workers research and educate: Social workers often facilitate research around diverse social issues current affecting individuals in the community. We bring this information to our teams, to educate and expand our scope of practice. We also ensure we provide ethical, research-based practice to those we serve!

These are only some of the unique traits that we bring to our clients and teams.

For more information on what social workers do, click here.

For more information on National Social Work Month and this year’s theme, ’Forging Solutions out of Challenges‘ please click here.