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.