Which would be better as far as Child Advocacy, a Social Services Degree or a Paralegal Degree?
Asked by Hypnotic.blonde
I talked to the administraiter of a local college yesterday and he spoke to me about both classes and said either would be a step in the right direction. I just don't know which is best?

Best Answer:
Child Advocacy. Choosing a career is one of life's most important decisions. Be aware of what you are proposing on getting yourself into. Please do more research first. Reminder: We are in a World-wide Recession. Consider career paths that have available JOBS.<<<<< Warning> Jobs in the field of Law are drying up fast!! This is just not a good field to invest time and/or money into. This is a SHRINKING, crumbling, and dying vocational field. Many reasons. We now have computers. So, many people today (mistakenly) think they can do their own legal work, thanks to the Internet. Also, there are a lot of companies out there making very efficient legal software for the field of Law. Today's graduating lawyers tend to be very computer savvy, so they just do the work themselves to save themselves the cost of overhead. Also, the "Public" buys this legal software in order to get legal work done without the cost of an Attorney. Also, we simply already have way too many Legal Professionals - we have an absolute glut!! ("Legal Professionals" includes, but is not limited to: Attorneys/Lawyers, Paralegals, Legal Assistants, Legal Secretaries, Bailiffs, Court Reporters, etc, etc) The field of Law has a mystique that actually exceeds reality. The field of Law is an overrated career - mostly by television. There are many myths regarding the field of Law: working as a Lawyer is mentally challenging (Actually, most work as an attorney involves routine paperwork: research, cite checking, drafting documents, and document review. Attorneys need to write down and track every activity they do, all day long [in 6 to 15 minutes increments, depending on the billing system] - a painstaking but necessary task), being an attorney is thrilling, high-powered, and glamorous (remember: television is fiction - the fictional lawyers on TV are ACTORS - the majority of work that an attorney does, does not happen in a courtroom), law students think that because they are good at arguing they will become great attorneys (actually being a great attorney is more in one's ability to mediate between differing sides and bringing them to agreement), as a lawyer I can correct injustices (actually legal decisions are more about reaching compromises than about right vs. wrong), guaranteed financial success (actually when salaries are compared, you also need to account for cost-of living expenses [most large law firms are in large cities - the bigger the city, the more cost-of-living expenses will be], payment of debts accrued while attending law school, and time needed to build a client base. Many large law firms require lawyers to work 60-80 hours per week.). Cost of law school to be lawyer, approx $150,000+. Be prepared to take on a LOT of debt.<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< There are no jobs in this vocational field. My family, coworkers, friends, acqaintances, etc. have been laid off left and right in this vocational field. Regarding being a Paralegal: Employers (usually law firms) in the field of Law today want employees with Bachelors degrees from traditional colleges/universities. Those "certificates" you see advertised aren't worth the paper they are printed on - they are generally scams. (I found this out the hard way.) Also, the law school's program needs to be accredited by the American Bar Association - if it isn't, you are just wasting your time/money. Even if you finish law school, you won't be able to find a job when you are done. Since this vocational field is shrinking, many new attorneys/lawyers are, themselves, having to work "down" as Paralegals, Legal Assistants, Legal Secretaries, Bailiffs, Court Reporters, etc, etc, to simply try to keep some of their bills paid <<this would be your competition. And the competition is fierce!! Now... the law schools know this, but they won't tell you the truth >that the job market/economy is just SATURATED with way too many Legal Professionals. Instead the schools will feed you a fairytale and will LIE to you. The root of the problem is we have too many law schools. We are in a recession, and the schools are fighting for their own survival - they will tell students anything to get to the students' money. (Which is why they won't tell you the truth about the job market for the field of Law.) And these schools continue to recruit and churn out even more graduates.............Remember: law schools are BUSINESSES - their top concern is making money for themselves. If you don't believe me, then just do a SEARCH here on Yahoo Answers to see what other posters are saying about the current status of the field of Law. Call some local law firms - ask to speak to the Manager of Human Resources - ask them if they are hiring; ask them what they think about job availability in the field of Law.................. In the book "So You Want to be a Lawyer?" by Marianne Calabrese and Susanne Calabrese (ISBN 0-88391-136-1): "The United States has more lawyers than
life been there - done that have actually worked in the field of Law for twelve years also actually am an employee of a law school, so I KNOW and see (too much?!?) don't have time to watch those TV law shows - the couple that I did watch weren't realistic, at all TV glamorizes the field of Law - do your research first! - the field of Law is actually a lot of paperwork and politics - and law school is VERY expensive, so know what you are getting into wish someone would have warned ME sooner so now I TRY to warn and help others (that actually want to know, will listen and not get defensive) I am simply tired of watching students getting ripped off by law schools so many students have come to me- upset because they could not find employment- I am just trying to warn as many as I can
Answered by mailaccount63

I believe you can do more directly for children with a Social Services Degree. There are way more jobs available also. If afterward you want to go back and get a legal degree you could help as a lawyer but I do not know how much as just a paralegal? As a social worker you would be the boots on the ground and make a difference in a child's life! You will not make as much money but make up for in rewards in other ways but you must love children! Also the elderly have no voice and you definitely can get a job helping them- their are tons right now!
Answered by Jesse

If you are interested in Child advocacy then a Social Services Degree. A paralegal is basically a lawyer's assistant/secretary; so your opinion would be irrelevant when choosing a case, your job would be to do what your are told to do, and to work in the cases the lawyer want you to work. Also there are many unemployed paralegals because not all lawyers have the money to hire someone else (despite the popular believe, lawyers are NOT rich, and many of them are unemployed and struggling to find a job because there is too much competition).
Answered by Artman