Traditionally, child welfare field has practicing in child welfare are no dif been closely identified with social ferent from those employed in mental work profession (Costin & Rapp, 1984; health and medical-health care settings Kadushin, 1974). The percentage of —the two fields that have larger per professionally trained social workers in centages of practicing professional so current child welfare field, particucial workers Data Bank, larly those with master of social work 1985). The social worker in child wel (MSW) degrees, however, is smaller fare addresses clinical themes pre than one might expect. A national sursented by child or caregiver through vey of 966 public as well as private child application of skills, such as sus welfare workers revealed that only 30 taining, direct influence, catharsis percent (n = 290) have MSW degrees ventilation, reflective consideration of (Vinokur-Kaplan & Hartman, 1986). In current person-in-situation configura a survey of 5,360 public child welfare tion, considerations of dynamics of workers, percentage of social response patterns, and consideration of workers with at least an MSW degree etiological factors that affect current was much lower—only 13 percent functioning (Hollis, 1972). (n-697) (Lieberman, Hornby, & The Board of Directors of Na Russell, 1988). Many reasons have been tional Association of Social Workers cited for proliferation of child wel(NASW) has defined clinical social work fare workers who have no formal social as the professional application of social work training (Lieberman et al., 1988). work theory and methods to treat Nevertheless, a person with an MSW ment and prevention of psychosocial degree is better prepared to practice in dysfunction, disability, or impairment, child welfare than is a person with a including emotional and mental disor bachelor of social work degree, who in ders (NASW Provisional Council, turn is better prepared than a person 1987, p. 965). The definition also stated with no professional social work trainthat clinical social work intervention ing (Lieberman et al., 1988). The aumay be directed toward interpersonal thors contend that child welfare practice interactions, intrapsychic dynamics, and is complex and challenging; it involves life-support and management use of clinical social work skills that (p. 966). The authors view clinical tend to be taught in MSW programs. themes (or intrapsychic dynamics) as In this article, authors identify aspects of psychological or emotional five important interrelated clinical functioning that are intense and recur themes that social workers in child welring issues for clients, expressed non fare settings should be able to address: verbally or verbally, and that require (1) separation, (2) loss, (3) identity, some degree of resolution for client (4) continuity, and (5) crisis. The authors to function at an adequate level. In show that these themes not only affect another article, Hogan and Siu (1988) child profoundly, but parents and stressed need for social work substitute caregivers as well. In each profession to address larger societal instance, social worker in child welchange and to remove environmental fare plays a crucial role as enabler, obstacles, which often bring children educator, and mediator in articinto child welfare system in first ulation and resolution of clinical place. Thus, focus of this article is issues. The clinical skills required for not to imply that helping client deal with clinical themes is only role for a social worker in a child welfare set ting. Addressing clinical themes never theless is a vital role that deserves in depth examination. The child welfare literature from