What is a school social worker?

Within the school environment, social workers have extensive involvement with parents to encourage a more active and responsible role in the education of their children. Problems that may interfere with learning might include: family dysfunction, substance abuse, incarceration, child abuse/neglect, absenteeism, homelessness, family violence, economic deprivation, and parental lack of understanding of school policies and programs.

School social worker services provided include but are not limited to:

directly interacting with students and families to meet their needs
providing consultation services to school staff
serving on intervention teams
working with students individually and in small groups
providing case management services for identified students
assisting with implementation and student behavior plans
collaborating with agencies in the community and making referrals to those agencies as appropriate to meet needs
working with students to resolve conflicts
advocating for students in accordance with laws and regulations
providing crisis intervention services
planning prevention education programs
enhancing parental involvement efforts of the school
facilitating improved attendance and
providing reports such as social histories and adaptive behaviors.

School Social Workers are part of the educational team. They work with teachers, administrators, counselors, psychologists, nurses and parents to integrate information from all of these sources with the student's overall social, emotional, behavioral, and adaptive functioning at school.

Today, 3/25 my day looked like this:

8:10:
Arrived at Manor Elementary School..retrieved voicemail, returned emails, created group activities and copied materials

8:30-9:00:
Spoke with a parent by phone about the her child's upcoming move to an IU educational program

9:00-9:40:
Facilitated social skills group for students in the K-1 Asperger Support program

9:45-10:15:
Consulted with guidance counselor about developing groups for those students about to transition to their home schools as part of the upcoming inclusion move within the district, with specific attention to those student anticipated to have difficulty with the move.

10:15-10:40:
Spoke to a parent regarding the redistribution of elementary students and how that will impact her son's transition to yet another school to begin his middle school experience.

10:45-11:15:
Met with 5th grade teachers to discuss concerns about student cited above.

11:15-11:45:
Met with the speech therapist the discuss the needs of two non-verbal Kindergarten students and accessed the parent contact information in order to offer assistance with outside resources