Baby Snatchers

When my mom suggested I should pursue a Masters degree in Social Work, I thought she was outside of her mind.

Baby snatching isn't really my thing, Mom. 

Like most mothers would laugh at their clearly uninformed children in their 20's, my mom laughed enough to make me feel like I was missing out on an inside joke.

Stop watching reality TV and do some research, Lindsay.  Social workers can work at schools, hospitals, non-profits, do counseling, work with children, the elderly, veterans, in substance abuse, disability, policy making - the opportunities are endless.  Research.  And stop calling social workers baby snatchers.  It's rude.

Fast forward a few years, and now I'm fighting the baby snatcher stigma.

Usually when people ask me what I'm studying and I tell them social work, I get that, "Ohhhhh.  That's nice."  type of response.  You know the reaction I'm talking about.  I remind myself they more than likely have no idea what social work even is.

Let's just clear the air- not all social workers are baby snatchers.  We don't all work for the Department of Social Services or Children and Youth Services or whatever entity that exists in your area that takes away abused and neglected children.

If you Google the definition of social work, you're going to get a million different answers.  The reason you'll get a million different answers is because social workers can work in a million different capacities.  What's important is the theme running throughout all these facets.  Social work is a helping profession, and certainly is a profession.  Social workers strive for social justice.  And this social justice is not a junk drawer phrase.  Social workers are advocates for real live justice.  We often think of social justice only happening in third world countries, but that is not the case.  Helping a homeless veteran find stable housing and income is just as much social justice as clean water initiatives in Africa.

Whether we're face to face with clients in group therapy or in D.C. lobbying for certain legislation, this always remains true:  compassion for people is central.

The road we take to get there might just look a little different.