It is well acknowledged that social workers encounter a considerable amount of work stress. Besides dealing with service users in complex life situations, social workers in India work in a context characterised by organisational constraints, poor pay scales and larger issues relating to the lack of recognition of, and ambivalence relating to, its status as a profession. This quantitative study explored issues such as the experience of stress, resilience and the professional quality of life in women social workers in Tiruchirappalli, South India, by administering standardised instruments. Implications for intervention have been discussed in the light of the findings.