In many family law cases, specifically those concerning children, a social worker might be involved. This is a man or woman who may evaluate your home life, counsel you or a family member through tough situations, and become an important component to your family law case. Social workers are able to improve the social and psychological functioning in families and children through their work.

In 2008, there were 642,000 social workers in the United States. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 54 percent of these jobs were in healthcare and social assistance, while 31 percent were positions issued by government agencies. Most of these men and women worked in suburban areas or cities. 292,600 of these social workers specialized in child, family, or school social work. The amount of social workers in the United States is expected to rise by 16 percent within the next 6 years. State and local governments, as well as family service agencies and schools, all have their own social workers. Depending on your situation, you may be issued a state or local government social worker to aid your case. While regulations vary, all states require that a social worker have some sort of license, certification or registration, along with a bachelor's degree. In most states, future employees in this field are required to complete 3,000 hours of supervised clinical experience in order to run their own clinic.

There are many different kinds of social workers. In most family law cases, you will be dealing with a child protective services or child welfare worker. Men and women in this field deal with any sort of child custody, neglect, or abuse case, and carefully monitor parents or guardians to confirm whether or not they are fit to be caretakers. These types of social workers also assess families to determine if it is wise for them to take on extra children in adoption and foster care situations. These employees also interact with cases regarding homelessness, domestic violence, child custody, abuse, or neglect. Additionally, they are an aid to single parents who are searching for quality day care and school facilities for their children. A new branch of these social workers deals specifically with same-sex couples who are looking to adopt.

Some social workers, known as gerontological workers, specifically work with families caring for senior citizens. They normally run support groups for men and women who are the main caretakers of their aging parents, and can help to assess whether or not the senior is being given adequate treatment and surveillance. Due to the aging "baby boomer" generation, the amount of gerontological workers has risen along with the accumulating number of senior citizens in the US.

A school-focused social worker serves as a mediator between parents, teachers, and children. These men and woman can help the three parties work through issues such as academic success and social intelligence. Medical and public health social workers can provide psychosocial support to families to help them cope with terminal and chronic illnesses like Alzheimer's, cancer or AIDS. Mental health and substance abuse social workers give therapy, crisis intervention, and social rehabilitation to the men and women with mental instability. They can also aid family members who are dealing with the repercussions of a relative involved in substance abuse.

If a social worker has been assigned to your family law case, it is important that you get to know him or her well. Make sure to be prepared for unexpected visits, and ensure that you are on good terms with your children if a social worker will be interviewing them. If you can ensure an honest and positive rapport with your social worker, it will work in your favor in any sort of legal battle.