Social Work Education and Social Services Experience as Job Requirements for Income Maintenance Workers

Frontline Welfare Work: Understanding Social Work's Role

“…Social workers' absence in welfare delivery is notable-less than 1% (0.8%) of National Association of Social Work (NASW) members identify public welfare as a primary practice area (Gibelman & Schervish, 1997). Although social workers were instrumental in establishing public relief agencies and practicing in public agencies in the 1930s (Coll, 1995;Popple & Reid, 1999), welfare service delivery has rarely required social work degrees or professional status (Bell, 1965;Sanchirico, 1995;Thompson & Mikelson, 2001). In the 1960s, 31% of welfare workers had not graduated from college, and only 13% of supervisors had two years of social work education (Bell, 1965).…”

“…In the 1960s, 31% of welfare workers had not graduated from college, and only 13% of supervisors had two years of social work education (Bell, 1965). In the early 1990s, 60% of states did not identify social work education or social service experience as qualifications for frontline workers, and 72% required no specific course work (Sanchirico, 1995). Post-welfare reform, there are no federal educational or training requirements for TANF frontline workers, creating tremendous variability depending on locale (The Annie E. Casey Foundation, 2003; Thompson & Mikelson, 2001).…”