School Social Workers bridge the gap between home, school and the community to support and advocate for struggling students and families. The primary goal of school social work is to address barriers to success and to provide the resources that students and families need to achieve success both in school and in life. As integral members of an interdisciplinary educational team, school social workers provide both direct and indirect services to students and their families, services that empower them to provide for their family's basic needs and to resolve any social, emotional, or behavioral issues that may be be hindering their students academic success. 

 School Social Workers help students...

• Increase academic success
• Cope with crisis situations
• Resolve conflicts without violence
• Improve attendance
• Develop self-discipline
• Build self-confidence
• Develop healthy lifestyles
• Improve interpersonal relationships
• Remain in school and graduate

School Social Workers help families...

• Participate more fully in their children's education, through parent conferences, school, and home visits
• Develop realistic expectations and ways of caring for their children which are age and developmentally appropriate
• Identify and meet their children's social and emotional needs
• Monitor their child's homework and attendance

School Social Workers help educators...

• Understand better how factors such as family, culture, socioeconomic status, physical and mental health can affect a student's performance
• Develop and implement plans to enhance a student's performance
• Coordinate services for individual families
• Identify and report child abuse and neglect
• Obtain community resources to meet student's needs
• Design and implement behavior management plans

School Social Workers work with Community Members...