Social worker direct service functions in a community-based group care context include providing care to youths, staff, and the youths' parents. Care for youth includes the provision of short-term treatment, resources for youths, group counseling, and youth advocacy. Social workers also provide support for houseparents as they encounter problems in their daily interaction with the group and particular residents. In their indirect service role, social workers act as coordinators, program developers, interpreters, advocates, and trainers. As coordinator, the social worker sees that the case plan for each youth is implemented within the time frame allotted. The social worker may also act as a program developer to ensure that youths have the benefits of mature adult friendships, that stages of development are structured into activities and living arrangements, and that community agencies offer their services to youths in an integrated way. Another indirect service offered by social workers is the advocacy of youth services before the community and government officials to ensure that the support required for funding and resources is secured. The social worker is responsible for determining what additional training or education the staff needs. Although the social worker may not provide the training directly, he is responsible for designing a training program. Fourteen references are provided.