Days in the Lives of Social Workers - 5th Edition by Linda May Grobman (Paperback)

About the Book

Days in the Lives of Social Workers is a collection of first-person narratives describing typical days in the lives of 62 social workers in a variety of settings and roles. Appendices list organizations, websites, government resources, social media, blogs, and podcasts related to social work.

Book Synopsis

Spend a day with social workers in 62 different settings, and learn about the many career paths available to you. Did you ever wish you could tag along with a professional in your chosen field, just for a day? DAYS IN THE LIVES OF SOCIAL WORKERS allows you to take a firsthand, close-up look at the real-life days of 62 professional social workers as they share their stories. Join them on their journeys, and learn about the rewards and challenges they face.



This book is an essential guide for anyone who wants an inside look at the social work profession. Whether you are a social work graduate student or undergraduate student, an experienced professional wishing to make a change in career direction, or just thinking about going into the field, you will learn valuable lessons from the experiences described in DAYS IN THE LIVES OF SOCIAL WORKERS.

The 5th edition includes updates throughout, as well as new chapters on police social work, library social work, suicide prevention/intervention, anti-trafficking, social work and the opioid crisis, legislative social work, adoption social work, social work education, and arts-based social work.

From the Foreword:

The more I thought about the book and what it contributes, I realized that it paints a "word picture" of what social work is as a profession. This is not an easy thing to do, given how multifaceted social work is and given the many settings in which it is practiced. This book presents the mosaic that is social work--a mosaic of multiple "tiles" held together with the core values of service, social justice, dignity and worth of the person, the importance of human relationships, integrity, and competence, all applied "within the context and the complexity of the human experience," as stated in the NASW Code of Ethics. -Kathryn Conley Wehrmann, Ph.D., LCSW, President, NASW

From the Introduction:

My hope is that you will use this book as a starting point--an introduction to the variety of roles social workers play every day. Use it as you would the opportunity to literally follow and observe 62 different social workers for a day. Soak up as much as you can from each experience, decide what you would like to explore further, and then take it from there! -Linda May Grobman, MSW, LSW, ACSW

Review Quotes

From the Foreword: to the 5th Edition

"What if everyone with love for working with people and a passion for social justice had a book like this to
read and think about the diverse wealth of possibilities within social work as they chart an educational course
to a professional future?"
Kathryn Conley Wehrmann, President
National Association of Social Workers

From the Foreword to the 4th Edition

"Everyone who reads this book, whether you've spent a lifetime as a proud social worker, you have received social work services, or you are just curious about the profession, will gain a new perspective and appreciation
for the work of these tireless individuals."
Elizabeth J. Clark, Executive Director (former)
National Association of Social Workers

"LOVE these books--especially for social work students who want to get a feel for all the different areas of practice available in our profession!"
Susan Mankita, LCSW
Florida International University