School Social Workers: Making A Difference!

Mission:

School Social Workers provide families and students with support by mobilizing available resources, fostering positive relationships between family, school and community and developing opportunities for students to prosper in their educational experiences and beyond.

School social workers serve as the liaison between school, home and the community. The underlying premise of school social work services is based on strengthening students' academic progress by removing barriers to learning including meeting their basic physical and emotional needs.

Services provided:

• Provides short-term individual and structured group counseling services
• Provides prevention and crisis intervention services
• Encourages supportive peer relationships and positive attitudes
• Provides guidance to student to make healthy choices
• Provides advocacy services for students and families
• Provides home visits to students and parent/guardian to assess and address their needs
• Provides programs and services to parents that include education and referral to appropriate community agencies
• Facilitates parental involvement
• Provides case management services to students with severe and chronic problem
• Coordinates referrals for social services in the community
• Collaborates with campus-based and district support services professionals
• Provides information, training, education and consultation services to the campus and communities concerning social service issues

What is a School Social Worker?

• A licensed, specially trained, caring person
• A listener
• A resource person
• A counselor and a consultant
• A group leader
• A person who assists students, parents, teachers, staff, and administrators

What are the Qualifications of a School Social Worker?

• Master's Degree in Social Work
• State Licensure and/or other specialized certification

For more information about Social Workers, go to http://www.naswtx.org