School Social Work

  • School Social Workers are, at minimum, master’s level professionals who hold a Service Certificate (level S-5, S-6, or S-7) from the Professional Standards Commission. School Social Workers have attained a master’s degree in a practice-oriented and researchbased program approved by the Council of Social Work Education.

     

     

     

     

     

Contacts

Mission

  • The School Social Worker facilitates the educational and individual potential of students by providing services, linking the home-school-community, and mitigating barriers to promote school success.

     

Principles

    • The School Social Worker will collaborate and consult with students, parents, school administrators, faculty, and the community to identify needs of students and families to provide supportive services
    • The School Social Worker will provide appropriate interventions and services that support children and families who are at risk for educational failure.
    • School Social Workers develop relationships with students and families to facilitate the desired changes identified by the student, family, and school.

     

Practice

  • School social workers serve as link between the home, school, and community. They work to ensure that students remain in school and graduate, reach their fullest academic potential, and grow socially and emotionally. School social workers support students’ thriving in schools by mitigating barriers that hinder student performance.

     

    School social workers’ services include, but are not limited to:

    • Individual and Group Counseling
    • Parenting Enhancement Training
    • Behavior/Student Mental Health Support
    • Parent Support Groups
    • Crisis Intervention
    • Dropout Prevention
    • Staff Development and Training
    • Home Visits
    • DFACS/Juvenile Court Liaisons
    • Referrals to community resources

     

    What can my school social worker help me with? 

    • Assist students with hard & soft skills: academics, organization and social skills 
    • Drop-out prevention alternatives 
    • Behavioral management, communication, social and self-management skills and interventions. 
    • Parent trainings – truancy, McKinney-Vento, parenting, understanding the RtI process, parents rights & responsibilities and other related topics. 
    • Crisis intervention 
    • Homeless assistance 
    • Advocacy & support during school meetings 
    • Mediation 
    • Targeted group counseling – anger management, career pathways, social skills and other topics. 
    • Assisting with “At-Risk” groups 
    • Conflict resolution 
    • Attendance issues 
    • RtI – Response to Intervention meetings & development on interventions to assist students in being academically & behaviorally successful in school. 
    • Social History assessments 
    • Brief counseling 
    • Provide resources and other supports to student & their families