Financial Credit: Social Work's Role in Empowering Low-Income Families

Abstract

Social workers interact with families and communities that financially struggle and have credit challenges. Social workers could benefit from increasing their financial literacy to knowledgeably educate, assist, and refer families in financial need. Specifically, knowledge about credit is imperative in today's economy. This article provides information about financial credit, financial literacy efforts, and the basics about credit, credit reports, and credit scores. Discussion is centered on the roles social workers could play in assisting families to build credit and make sound financial decisions. Areas for policy advocacy about financial literacy and credit are delineated.