Final answer:
Social work is a helping profession that focuses on enhancing well-being and addressing social issues. It differentiates itself through a focus on social justice, an ecological perspective, empowerment, a systems approach, and emotional support.
Step-by-step explanation:
Social work is a helping profession that focuses on helping individuals, families, and communities enhance their well-being and overcome social issues. Some characteristics that differentiate social work from other helping professions include:
- Focus on social justice: Social workers are driven by a commitment to social justice and addressing systemic inequalities.
- Ecological perspective: Social workers consider the interactions between individuals and their environments, taking into account the social, cultural, economic, and political factors that influence people's lives.
- Emphasis on empowerment: Social workers strive to empower individuals and communities by promoting their self-determination and providing resources and support.
- Systems approach: Social workers work at multiple levels, from micro (individuals) to macro (communities and policies), recognizing that change happens through interventions at different system levels.
- Emotional support: Social workers provide emotional support and counseling to individuals and groups, helping them navigate challenges and develop coping strategies.