School Social Work

  • School Social Workers Help Students to:

    • Identify and eliminate barriers to academic success.

    • Improve interpersonal relationships.

    • Cope with difficult and crisis situations.

    • Develop self-esteem and self-discipline.

    • Learn problem-solving, conflict resolution and decision-making skills.

    • Develop age appropriate social skills.

     

    School Social Workers' Role in Special Education is to:

    • Consult with mainstream and special education teachers to develop and implement pre-referral interventions.

    • Design and implement positive behavior support plans and interventions.

    • Participate on the child study team.

    • Provide social, emotional, behavioral, functional and adaptive assessments.

    • Educate parents and school personnel regarding the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).

     

    School Social Workers Help Educators by:

    • Developing and implementing plans to enhance students' school success.

    • Providing ongoing emotional and behavioral support to students.

    • Communicating information about how factors such as family, culture, socioeconomic status, physical and mental health may affect students' performance.

    • Identifying and reporting child abuse and neglect situations.

    • Coordinating community resources to meet students' needs.

    • Identifying and eliminating barriers to educational success.

     

     School Social Workers Provide Services that are Efficient and Effective Educational Investments.  School Social Workers:

    • Are licensed mental health practitioners and professionals.

    • Develop intervention strategies that prevent school violence, increase school attendance, and help students succeed.

    • Coordinate service delivery for students through cooperative interagency activity.

    • Mediate disputes between students, parents, and school systems.

    Group photo of school social workers