If you are thinking of improving your career status in your company, or are eager to start out on your own business, then you may have heard of an online MBA. It has been gaining reputation as a viable alternative to traditional MBA, where you physically attend classes, because taking your MBA online means having more time. However, you should not jump into such an MBA course haphazardly. Consider the following before making your choice:

The most important is accreditation status. This cannot be overemphasized. The online MBA programs are still gaining ground, and many top employers and experts still question their value and reliability. Therefore, if you must take your MBA online degrees, then you will be wise to choose only the accredited ones, as it carries more weight with employers. One simple way to check this is to glance at the school’s domain name. Those that are assigned .edu (or .ac.uk in the United Kingdom) are sure to be accredited. You can also check the accrediting body that these schools cite, to see its status.

You should also check for reputable schools which have both a physical and an online campus. This is a tactical move on your part. Since employers are likely to favor education from a physical campus rather than an online one, getting your MBA from one which has both will carry more weight, especially when compared to a purely online campus. Another advantage is that you can easily visit that campus, use their resources, and transfer to a live program if you want.

Thirdly, you should choose the ones which have high admission standards. This will be your guarantee that the program you will take is a reputable one. These standards are often known to employers as well, so they are more likely to take notice when you come from these schools. Of course, you should feel confident of your ability to meet those standards first.

However, those three things - accreditation, physical and online campus, as well as high admission standards, will not mean anything if you cannot afford the tuition costs. So try to come up with a financing scheme for your schooling first (your present employer, or any scholarships might be able to help). Just remember that the total costs should be a little less than a traditional MBA on a physical campus, and neither too low, nor too high than that figure.

It's a great month- social work month! People who have acquired an online msw degree should be celebrated! Whether its a online bachelor in social work bsw, or even a masters on social work, these people are owed great thanks. The greatest people are the individuals who have their online doctorate in social work dsw as that shows there full dedication to the field of social work.

Amplify’d from www.news-press.com

oday kicks off National Social Work Month. The National Association of Social Workers focuses on calling attention to th

Today kicks off National Social Work Month. The National Association of Social Workers focuses on calling attention to the social work profession throughout the month of March. Social work is not just a career and it is certainly not just a job — it is a calling for many professionals who have chosen this field for their career path. This month of recognition is an excellent chance to bring attention to the many ways that social workers help their communities by advocating for individuals experiencing difficult situations in their daily lives. This year’s NASW theme for National Social Work Month is “Social Workers Change Futures.” The theme aims at highlighting the role of the social worker as a positive change agent. Social workers quietly go about their business each day — advocating for the rights of the most vulnerable among us and making sure that everyone has access to resources for a better quality of life. Social workers directly effect change when they help individuals cope with difficult challenges and reach their full potential. Social workers work diligently to support and strengthen families. They strive to eliminate abuse, neglect, and exploitation of children and elders. They advocate for the rights of domestic violence victims. They create and implement programs to address such issues as mental health, substance abuse, homelessness, poverty and disability. All of these are examples of challenges faced by older adults. Older adults benefit from the guidance of social workers as they cope with age-related changes, navigate the Medicare and Medicaid systems to obtain necessary health care, care for ill spouses, and raise their grandchildren when situations keep adult children from fulfilling that role. Social workers are advocating for and educating family caregivers. Social workers are working in tandem with elder law attorneys to make sure older people have a plan for life care — to meet immediate needs and prepare for future months as chronic illnesses progress. Hospice and palliative care social workers are dedicated to supporting families as they face end-of-life care for their loved ones. Hospital social workers work around the clock to make sure older people have access to resources in times when they are most vulnerable. Social workers also play an important role in geriatric mental health services. Social workers strive to help older people maintain independence for as long as possible in the setting of their choice. This is a great time for all of us to recognize and thank social workers for their fine work and dedication. Read more at www.news-press.com

Unfortunately new government regulations on spending money has created an unnecessary overview in how children are dealt with inside of the system. These type of necessary evils are what make some people believe that governments are slow and ineffective at fixing problems. Individuals who have a online social work degree sometimes fall into this bucket.

Amplify’d from www.guardian.co.uk

When a social worker tells someone what they do for a living, the inevitable response will be "I couldn't do that, I'd get too emotionally involved with the kids". Ask a social worker what makes their job impossible, and you'll get a universal response, "admin" – the issue at the core of Eileen Munro's eagerly awaited independent review of child protection. When you work in children's services, you soon realise the job is not about working with children. It is assessment of needs, and obtaining services to meet those needs. Mum needs respite? That'll be a four-page referral, a full assessment and three or four meetings in the hope that the provider will agree to one night a fortnight. Teenager needs to go into care? A referral to the placement provider and a full assessment is required. The prohibitive cost of private-sector placements mean several more documents will need to be sent to various panels of managers so they can decide if their stretched budgets can afford it. Every need requires a new referral which will take hours to complete. The scarcer resources become, the more need for management to ensure that they are not wasted and the more administration is needed to provide evidence of value for money. Read more at www.guardian.co.uk

Unfortunately it looks like another town is running into issues with budget cuts. I think everyone understands that economies are not where they were a few years ago, but basic funding for projects like this should not be cut. There needs to be a link drawn between what really is a necessity, and what can be cut from the budgets. When it comes to children's services, I don't think there is much room to make drastic cuts.

Amplify’d from www.bbc.co.uk

Council cuts could severely hamper the way children's services are provided in Stoke-on-Trent, according to a social workers' organisation. Children's and Young People's services is being cut by £9.5m - nearly a fifth of its entire budget - next year. Sue Kent, from British Association of Social Workers, (BASW) said there are concerns for "all sorts" of aspects of social work. The council said maintaining the level of care and safety remains a priority. Earlier this month, the council, a Labour-led coalition with the Liberal Democrats, said seven children's centres had been saved from closure at the expense of libraries, care homes and a swimming pool. 'Significant effects' Last November, it was announced that the council would be cutting about 700 jobs at it looked to make savings of more than £30m. It is not yet known what specific areas will be affected, the council said. But Ms Kent said social workers throughout England are facing a "very difficult position" as the government cuts are brought in. "The concern we have (in Stoke-on-Trent) is that there are very vulnerable people in the city and very vulnerable children and families which are going to not receive services which may lead to significant effects in the child protection arena," she said. "There are concerns here for all sort of aspects of social work particularly the actual cuts of social work on front-line services." In a statement the council said: "The safety and welfare of our children is paramount. "We have taken this into account throughout the budget process and will continue to provide a comprehensive service to the young people of the city in all areas covered by children and young people's services. "We have dedicated staff whose work has been recognised nationally in a number of key areas and, whilst we acknowledge the government-imposed budget cuts will give us new challenges, we give a firm commitment to the families of Stoke-on-Trent that they will continue to receive the best possible help and advice." Read more at www.bbc.co.uk

Test post for social work.