The values of compassion, caring, and commitment serve as guiding beacons for this school. Social work develops the capacity for caring, to help people in need. Connecting individuals and groups with the resources within themselves and their communities is the social worker's contribution to society. The School of Social Welfare at the University of Kansas provides the education and experience necessary for a career in social work, using a strengths perspective. By helping shape students' caring capacity through education, the school prepares social workers to carry out the unique purposes of the profession - to develop human potential, to promote individual well being, and to bring about a more just and humane society.
Social work is a major professional discipline in the broad institution of social welfare.
The term social welfare denotes the dimensions of society concerned with human needs - health, education, economic security, housing, and mental health. The field is based on knowledge drawn from the social sciences and its own research and practice. It has a code of ethics, practice standards, and a nationwide system of accredited education programs to meld the desire to help others with the skill and knowledge needed to provide that help. The curriculum promotes understanding and analysis of social work knowledge, values, and skills, and is founded on a broad liberal arts education. Some employment opportunities include child protection, foster care, and adoption services.