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Days In The Lives Of Social Workers: 50 Professionals Tell "Real-Life" Stories From Social Work Practice

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Days in the Lives of Social Workers is a collection of first
person accounts of "typical" days in professional social work practice.
Fifty different settings/roles are represented, each written by a different
social worker. This second edition includes the 41 included in the first
edition, plus 9 new stories.


About the Author:

Linda May Grobman, ACSW, LSW, is the founder,
publisher, and editor of The New Social Worker, the magazine for social
work students and recent graduates. She has been a social worker in mental
health and medical settings, and is a former staff member of two state
chapters of the National Association of Social Workers. She is the
co-author, with Gary B. Grant, of The Social Worker's Internet Handbook.

354 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1999

41 people are currently reading
1180 people want to read

About the author

Linda May Grobman

20 books12 followers
Linda May Grobman is the founder, publisher, and editor of THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER magazine at http://www.socialworker.com. Linda also is the creator and editor of the DAYS IN THE LIVES OF SOCIAL WORKERS book series.

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5 stars
88 (33%)
4 stars
108 (40%)
3 stars
53 (19%)
2 stars
10 (3%)
1 star
7 (2%)
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
Profile Image for Red Haircrow.
Author 27 books115 followers
March 5, 2011
It's a reality many professions share, that on a daily basis you face some of the most terrible, frustrating and heartbreaking cases which involve people who are not just numbers on a list, or manila folders full of painful photos, reports and notations, yet you still have to struggle to keep your own balance and life, to take care of your own children and loved ones. Social workers have tremendously overloaded schedules and often have been subjected to abuse when one of their "cases" slips through the cracks: a child dies or is killed, an elderly couple starved by their adult children, or a gay teen, leaving an emotionally abusive family, is lost on the streets, but every single day they try to make a difference for so many who have no one else looking out for them.

This is in important book if for nothing else, if a reader actuals places themselves in someone else's shoes, whether it's the victims or the social worker, more people might have empathy for others which can help prevent some of the problems which are rampage in society. Some people may not be able to handle the brutal honesty in these stories from professionals, but they should ask themselves why. Collected in a straight-forward manner, this book has a fine list of sources and organizations into which one can become involved.
Profile Image for Sarah.
714 reviews16 followers
January 7, 2008
This book gave me some great perspectives on the wide range of social work. It was nice to read about days in the lives of different professionals and helped me affirm that I am on the right track! I recommend it for anybody considering the profession.
Profile Image for Marthe.
237 reviews4 followers
July 24, 2022
Massively interesting and an affirmation of my interest in social work. It's nice to see the diverse experiences of social workers, and inspiring to read that this book helps shape the views and thoughts of (aspiring) social workers.
1 review
June 30, 2019
"While the broadness of social work is what brings many people into the profession, at times it can be overwhelming. Fortunately, we have Linda May Grobman to help social workers navigate their careers through the eyes of those with real-life experience. The 5th edition of Days in the Lives of Social Workers includes traditional and non-traditional career paths that offer a practical and realistic snapshot of the diverse fields of social work. An added bonus is the updated list of professional organizations, web resources, and social media, blogs and podcasts. This is a must-have for social workers at any stage in their career!"

Jennifer Luna, MSSW
Director of Social Work Career Services
The University of Texas at Austin, Steve Hicks School of Social Work
Profile Image for Megan.
38 reviews
May 11, 2025
Picked this up while making the decision to go back to school and work towards being a social worker. I thought the varying types of jobs described was helpful, although they weren't all geared to the types of social work I'm interested in but that's super personal. I know there's a second book but I couldn't get my hands on it. I think this is definitely worth picking up if you're considering social work or a related field to get a feel for some of the options the degree can open you up to.
Profile Image for Right-Er.
5 reviews
February 6, 2023
I have read an ARC of Remy C. Garner 's "For All The Good They Do", and although it's written as fiction, it sounded more like truth on every page. So I went out searching for others in the same vein and truly enjoyed the many anecdotes in Grobman's work. Those books are similar and should help others in this noble career path.
Profile Image for Christina.
104 reviews3 followers
July 30, 2019
Varied collection of social work narratives; would have appreciated more depth in each one though
Profile Image for Paulette.
211 reviews4 followers
July 12, 2020
This book opened my eyes to the field of social worker and encouraged me to pursue my MSW
Profile Image for Rachel.
614 reviews
February 17, 2017
Great for someone considering social work, not great (but still good!) for those already practicing. Helped me get reenergized, just in time for Social Work Month.
2 reviews
April 24, 2008
This book helped me decide to go to graduate school in social work.
3 reviews
May 23, 2008
A great book for lay people interested in the daily work and struggles of social workers and for people interested in pursuing the field themselves.
Profile Image for Carrie.
3 reviews3 followers
October 4, 2009
I am looking into social work as a career. This book is very helpful so far in presenting the many different roles a social worker can play.
Profile Image for Dana Wong.
1 review
June 11, 2014
This book definitely gave me a better insight on social work. I gave it three stars because some of the stories were hard to read.
Profile Image for Gavin.
125 reviews
August 15, 2015
Uneven in places due to the various writing styles - one or two vignettes fall flat - but a great look at the variety o the field and recommended for that alone.
Profile Image for Katlyn.
115 reviews9 followers
April 24, 2016
Great for beginning social workers who would like to explore their options and callings.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews

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