A group home worker can work with a variety of different patients to help them develop life skills until they are ready to live independently. If you would like to work in a setting where you can help people achieve their goals and change their direction in life, becoming one of the many types of group home workers that exist today could be the career path for you. As a social worker who acts as a liaison and also a teacher, you will play an important role in the lives of many people who truly need your help. Read on, and learn about some of the responsibilities of social workers in a group home setting.
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Learning about the Different Settings That You Can Work in
A group home worker has a variety of different group home settings that to work in and his or her duties will be dependent on the environment. A group home is a private residence for specific types of residents to live in to receive support and treatment. The residents may be adults who have been diagnosed with mental illness or seniors who have suffered a fall and need to recoup from their disability. Some group homes treat the mentally ill and the disabled, and others house young residents who cannot live with their families due to behavioral issues or for residents who suffer from substance abuse. Some group homes are more commonly referred to as Residential Care Facilities.
What Are Your Duties and Responsibilities When You Work in a Group Home?
Residents in these group home residential environments require much supervision and assistance in many cases. As a worker who supervises and assists the residents, you cannot expect one day to be just like the other. One of the main functions you have in a group home is as a liaison. You will keep communication between the resident and law enforcement agencies, families, or community organizations open to update these parties of the status of the resident. You may also arrange social services for the resident when necessary.
Monitoring the behavior of residents is also very important, especially in environments when the residents have had a troubled past. As a group home social worker, you will help and resolve disputes, search resident's property for dangerous items and in some cases drug test the residents. All of this is done to ensure the safety of residents and staff members.
One of the most important duties that you take on with this title is teaching the residents to develop skills so that they can live independently in the future. You may need to teach residents about hygiene, meal preparation, taking medications, cleaning the home, going to work and other quality of life skills. Workers will take their residents to and from appointments while they live in the home.
Group home staff members are direct care workers who provide personal care to different demographics. With more and more seniors needing direct care after a disability, the demand for group care workers is only predicted to grow. In fact, there will be a need for thousands more professionals in the public setting in the next few years. If you would like a rewarding career, study to become a group home worker and choose the setting you would like to work in.