In recent years, scientific interest in the phenomenon of emotional intelligence (EQ) continues to grow, which is considered a stress-protective factor of personal ability to experience strong emotional stress and stress, which causes a high relevance of research in this area. Emotional intelligence for social workers is an important skill for work, and it is believed that it has a beneficial effect on stress. Emotional intelligence is defined as the ability to recognize emotions in oneself and others and the ability to manage emotions. Social workers are often emotionally stressed when they have to hide their true feelings when working with vulnerable segments of the population. Such experiences cause painful reactions in the body as part of the response to stress, which cannot be immediately reacted to, since the possibilities for the release of these feelings at work are limited. Increasing emotional stability and, as a result, professional skills of a social worker is possible due to the development of emotional intelligence. Despite its potential significance for the study of emotional intelligence for the practice of social work, there is little data on its application in the context of social work. This article is intended to stimulate discussion about the role of emotional intelligence in the practice of social work, considering its development, definitions and problems.