Social work is a profession dedicated to helping individuals, families, groups and communities enhance their individual and collective well-being. The Social Work Profession Act defines the practice of social work as including the following objectives:

1. To accomplish the core functions of social work including:
   Helping people obtain services relating to the basic human needs
   Counselling of individuals, families and groups, and
   Helping communities and groups provide or improve social and health services
2. To assess, remediate and prevent social problems encountered by individuals, families and communities
3. To enhance individual, family and community social functioning.

In Manitoba, only members of the Manitoba College of Social Workers are authorized to use the title Social Worker or represent themselves as Social Workers, expressly or by implication.