The Future of Social Work: Thriving, Growing, Leading

by Darla Spence Coffey, Ph.D., MSW

     We’ve been doing a lot of thinking lately about the future of social work at the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) – because we know that what the profession looks like tomorrow should influence the way we are preparing students today.

     Although we don’t have a “crystal ball,” CSWE has either led or been a part of three initiatives over the last couple of years that give us some indication of what that future might look like:

1. Social Work Workforce Study 

     In 2017, CSWE partnered with other social work associations and schools of social work to launch the first Social Work Workforce Study in more than a decade. That year, the effort produced two reports, a Profile of the Social Work Workforce and the Results of the Nationwide Survey of 2017 Social Work Graduates. 

     The Profile closely examined existing data sources, including the Department of Labor’s workforce statistics, to understand the ways in which social work jobs are counted in these sources and what predictions are being made about the workforce. We were affirmed that social work is a vital and growing profession, particularly in the areas of health; behavioral health and substance abuse; and child, family, and school social work. The Survey asked new graduates from social work education programs (baccalaureate through doctorate) about their experience in the workplace. We were pleased to learn that students were able to find rewarding jobs in which they were able to apply the knowledge, values, and skills learned in social work programs.  (For more detailed information, please look up the sources linked above.)

     A second survey of social work graduates was conducted in 2018, and the report of those results will be released soon. And a third round of the survey is being developed this spring. 

2. Futures Task Force

     The Futures Task Force is another initiative launched in 2017 aimed to think big about the future of the profession for which we are preparing students. The Task Force released its report, Envisioning the Future of Social Work: Report of the CSWE Futures Task Force in April 2018, which encouraged social work education and practice to prioritize leadership and ethical and innovative uses of technology.   

3. Consensus Study on Social Needs in Health Care

     And finally, CSWE partnered with other social work organizations, schools of social work and philanthropic organizations to fund a consensus study by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. This study process launched in June 2018, and the report on Integrating Social Needs Care into the Delivery of Health Care to Improve the Nation's Health is scheduled for publication in late summer 2019. This report will surely emphasize the important role that social work plays in addressing the social determinants of health, which need to be addressed to improve health outcomes.

     Combined, these reports underscore that the social work profession is more than thriving, but growing in importance to advance health, well-being, and justice for all people. What is most striking to me is the message that emerges either explicitly or implicitly in each of these initiatives: that social work attracts and develops the kind of leaders that the world needs today. Please consider stepping up to leadership! And how can we better support you in that process?

     Happy Social Work Month!

Darla Spence Coffey, Ph.D., MSW, is president and chief executive officer of the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). CSWE is the national association of schools and programs of social work, representing nearly 800 accredited undergraduate and graduate programs.  CSWE’s Commission on Accreditation is recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation as the sole accrediting agency for social work education in the United States. Through its many initiatives, activities, and centers, CSWE supports quality social work education and provides opportunities for leadership and professional development so that social workers play a central role in achieving the profession’s goals of social and economic justice.