Family support workers are social services professionals who provide assistance and guidance to children and families in need. They work in settings such as foster care or adoption agencies, child protective services agencies or family services organizations. The exact duties of family support workers usually vary based on the setting, but most focus on providing social services and assisting with the promotion of physical well-being and mental health.
Family support workers are usually on the front lines when social services agencies are called in to evaluate allegations of serious family problems, such as drug abuse, mental illness or domestic violence. They meet with clients in their homes and perform initial evaluations to determine the type and, if possible, cause of problems. They also gather information to assist in the formulation of recommended courses of treatment, develop treatment plans to help address problems and identify any additional needs or potential risks. Depending on the work setting, family support workers may also conduct evaluations to determine whether children should be removed from their homes due to abuse or neglect.
Family support workers educate their clients on a variety of relevant mental health and social service-related topics. For example, they might provide education on parenting, parent-child interaction, discipline, job skills, child development, abuse prevention or prenatal care. Family support workers may provide educational services on a one-on-one, family or group basis. In some cases, family support workers may engage in community outreach to help educate families living in the catchment area of their agency.
Referral is another vital responsibility of family support workers. Because families in need or in crisis often don't know where to turn, it's important for family support workers to have a broad knowledge base of available resources and assistance programs to help their clients obtain the services they need. Support workers must be aware of the programs in their community that pertain to their specific fields of practice. This might mean helping clients with social services benefits such as food stamps, helping substance abusers find treatment programs, or helping families locate suitable child care facilities or after-school care programs.
Family support workers are often a part of a larger support network consisting of other mental health, legal or social services professionals. These include clinical social workers, correctional officers, social services workers, substance abuse counselors, foster care workers and school personnel. Family support workers must frequently consult with these professionals to provide comprehensive care to their clients and ensure that their needs are being adequately addressed.
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