Social workers who work in child protection investigate allegations of abuse, neglect, or abandonment, and intervene when children are in need of protection. Social workers often work closely with law enforcement, write court reports, and testify at court hearings. When working with families they assess parenting, child safety, and family needs. Social workers also provide resources to parents and families to minimize risk of harm to children when in their homes.

Social workers who work in corrections may work with adolescents or adults who are incarcerated or on probation. A social worker may be a probation officer, case manager, or a therapeutic treatment provider in a jail, detention center, or prison. Corrections social workers try to minimize risk to the community and rehabilitate offenders. Social workers do this by holding their clients accountable, referring clients for treatment services, and coaching them in solving life problems.

Social workers who work in the area of mental health services may provide case management, group counseling, or individual therapy to clients who have a mental illness. They can work in an office where they meet with clients or they may work with the client in the client's home or community. Social workers assist clients in learning to manage mental illness by listening, problem-solving, providing resources, and advocating for their clients.

Social workers who work in schools often take on a therapy or case management role and address issues that get in the way of a student's ability to succeed in school. In a therapy role, social workers work with individual and small groups of students to address issues such as mental health, substance abuse, relationship difficulties, trauma, anger, and problem-solving skills. In a case management role social workers address poverty, child abuse, housing, hunger, and learning disabilities.