Social Work in Schools The Social Work Experience

Social Work in Schools The Social Work Experience 5 th Edition Mary Ann Suppes & Carolyn Cressy Wells Chapter 7 This multimedia product and its contents are protected under copyright law. The following are prohibited by law: any public performance or display, including transmission of any image over a network; Preparation of any derivative work, including the extraction, in whole or in part, of any images; Any rental, lease, or lending of the program. © 2009 Allyn & Bacon

History of Social Work in Schools • 1906: Settlement House Social Worker visits schools in NY City • 1913: School Boards hired Social Worker to work with communities and schools • 1921: National Committee of Visiting Teachers is established • 1920 s: Social Worker focused on individual children to improve mental health and reduce delinquency • 1930 s: Distributed food and found shelter and clothing © 2009 Allyn & Bacon

History of Social Work in Schools (cont. ) • 1940 s-50 s: Social Workers use case work approaches with a clinical orientation • 1949: F. Poole fought for the rights of children to a public education • 1964: Head Start was established • 1965: Elementary and Secondary Education Act improves opportunities for disadvantaged children • 1975: Special Education included Social Workers as part of the intervention team © 2009 Allyn & Bacon

History of Social Work in Schools (cont. ) • 1976: NASW develops standards for school Social Work • 1980 s: IDEA policy focuses on student’s rights, cultural diversity, parent involvement and community partnerships • 1997: The IEP is established in amendments to IDEA. Social Workers are responsible to ensure that plans are implemented to meet student goals • 2002: NCLB sets standards for school achievement and mechanisms to measure outcomes © 2009 Allyn & Bacon

School Social Worker Roles Counsel with individual children Liaison between the school and the family Facilitate student, teacher, or parent groups Develop partnerships between schools and communities • Support the educational process • Advocate for a “full-service” school approach • • © 2009 Allyn & Bacon

School Social Worker and Diversity • Work with children and families where English is not their first language – Bilingual model- take classes in native language as well as English – Sheltered English Immersion (SEI)- Immersion in classes taught in English with minimal education in the native language • SEI is not effective at moving students with ESL to mainstream grade level • School Social Worker must be culturally competent © 2009 Allyn & Bacon

School Social Worker and Special Education • Federal funds allocated for federal special education policy are inadequate to meet special education needs • Social Workers are part of a team that evaluates speech and language needs, physical and learning disabilities, developmental delays, and emotional, behavioral and health challenges • Social Workers also work with families with infants and toddlers who have developmental challenges • A primary challenge for School Social Worker is obtaining parent consent for services and involving parents in the process. © 2009 Allyn & Bacon

Implementing Social Work Values in the School Setting • Social Work values guide approaches that social workers take in practice with children, families, and communities. • Social Workers are committed to empowering clients, resulting in challenges to policies that do not respect the rights and dignity of all • Controversial issues include teen pregnancy, homosexuality, ESL, substance use, and punishment © 2009 Allyn & Bacon

Challenges for School Social Workers • School safety: Social Workers facilitate conflict resolution and peer mentoring programs, and monitor signs of potential school violence • Teen pregnancy: Social Workers encourage young women to finish their education and facilitate in-school services to support this goal • Poverty: Social Workers advocate for disadvantaged children and fight against policies that further limit their opportunities for success, such as NCLB and TANF • Personal empowerment: Social Workers assist students to manage their emotional and physiological responses to stress and become more contemplative © 2009 Allyn & Bacon

Trends in School Social Work • Increasingly diverse students – Ethnicity, language, sexual orientation, and educational needs • Resource Gaps – Increasing partnerships with community and volunteer groups for funding and services • Summer school – Increasing opportunities for Social Workers to work year-round • Gender specific needs – Girls are more greatly impacted by poverty, abuse, and community problems than are boys. Single-sex schools may be a viable alternatives. • Special needs – Social Workers need to better understand how home and community environments impact learning & development © 2009 Allyn & Bacon