Is there a big demand for social workers?

[Kiss Me Deadly]

Yes, there's always a demand for social workers ... unfortunately, a lot of those jobs are long-hours, low-paying, emotionally-draining positions. You're on the right track, thinking of an adoption agency or hospital ... those jobs would pay more, but you'd probably have to specialize more in your training to get one. A lot of social-work jobs are government positions (Children and Youth Services, Youth Probation, court-appointed Counseling Services, etc.), and you can make a WORLD off difference to a kid in any of those positions. Maybe you could do an internship or externship for a semester during college to see what kind of work you like?

Another thing to keep in mind is this ... a BSW won't get you far enough to earn the big bucks ... for most of the higher-paying positions, a MSW is the minimum. Best of Luck to you!