What does 'social work' entail?

Social work has to do with the social welfare of people. Things like annie said, like foster care (i.e. helping kids find homes), nursing can also be seen as social work, being a counselor or psycologist. All of these have different degrees that you study for and it would be good if you can get a pamplet from your nearest university or go on their site, because courses vary from place to place.

In New Zealand you need a bachelor of social work to become a registered social worker, which I believe now takes four year. There is a pretty huge shortage of them here. You basically work with the community, providing advise, advocasy and support to people. You would work a lot with quite vulnerable people, like children and young adults from troubled family situations. You need to be good with people, and good at getting them to trust you. You also need good analytical skills, knowledge of the legal system, excellent communication skills, knowledge of cultural issues and the Treaty of Waitangi. You need to be a pretty strong person, you have to deal with a lot of difficult people and situations.