A social worker is a person who tries to protect children and keep them safe. A social worker may help children who are being hit or touched in bad ways (this is called abuse). The social worker may also help children who don’t have proper food, clothes, or other things they need (this is called neglect). If the abuse or neglect is very bad, the social worker may have to find another place for the child to stay. Then the family and the social worker may have to go to court so that a judge can decide how to help the child and the family.