The Three Pillars of the Social Work Profession in the United States: Education, Practice and Regulation

This article will discuss the professionalization of social work in the United States (U.S.). The path to the professional development of social work has been shaped by the features of strong professional associations with external influence on control over education, entrance to the profession through a specific knowledge base and accreditation, codified code of ethics, state licensing, restriction of title, and sanctions for breaches of code of ethics. In the United States, three national social work organizations represent the social work profession in education, practice and regulation. These are referred to as the three pillars of the social work profession with separate missions but shared values to promote the professionalization of social work. These organizations together have influenced social work’s progress as a profession in the U.S.