The document discusses the role of school social workers. It begins by introducing school social workers and their qualifications, which include a master's degree in social work and specialized training. It then outlines the various services school social workers provide, such as counseling, crisis intervention, developing academic success strategies, and more. It also discusses school social worker intervention with the school environment, parents, and the community to help students succeed academically and socially.

1. School Social
Work
Harish Kumar R
MSW,Central university of Karnataka,(CUK)
Kalabaragi

2. Content
Introduction to school social work
Training and qualifications of School Social Workers
Specific services that School Social Workers provide
Intervention with school environment
Intervention with parents
Intervention with community and stakeholders
Parents guidance and counseling
Community guidance and counseling
Conclusion
Reference

3. Introduction
For over a hundred years, school social workers have been providing a
critical link between school, home, and community. The school social work
profession has consistently focused on coordinating the efforts of schools,
families, and communities toward helping students improve their
academic achievement and social, emotional, and behavioral competence
by using its unique perspective of viewing the person in his or her
environment. School social workers seek to ensure equitable education
opportunities; ensure that students are mentally, physically, and
emotionally present in the classroom; and promote respect and dignity for
all students.

4. Who are school social worker???
School Social Workers are trained mental health professionals with a
degree in social work who provide services related to a person's social,
emotional and life adjustment to school and/or society.
School Social Workers are the link between the home, school and
community in providing direct as well as indirect services to students,
families and school personnel to promote and support students'
academic and social success.

5. WHY do today's schools need School Social
Workers?
Children today are increasingly victims of many social forces that
negatively affect their role as students.
The family is in a state of change and until it becomes stabilized, in
whatever form, children's unmet physical and emotional needs will
continue to interfere with their ability to learn and adjust in school.

6. Training and qualifications of School Social Workers
School social workers have master’s degrees in social work.
They have special expertise in understanding family and community systems and linking
students and their families with community services essential to promote student success.
School social workers' training includes specialized preparation in cultural diversity,
systems theory, social justice, risk assessment and intervention, consultation and
collaboration, and clinical intervention strategies to address the mental health needs of
students.
They work to remedy barriers to learning created as a result of poverty, inadequate health
care, and neighborhood violence.
School social workers often focus on providing supports to vulnerable populations of
students at high risk for truancy and dropping out of school, such as homeless, foster, and
migrant children, students transitioning between school and treatment programs or the
juvenile justice system, or students experiencing domestic violence.
They work with teachers, administrators, parents, and other educators to provide
coordinated interventions and consultation designed to keep students in school and help
families access the supports needed to promote student success.

7. Specific services that School Social Workers provide
Participating in special education assessment meetings as well as
Individual Educational Planning meetings.
Working with those problems in a child's living situation that affect the
child’s adjustment in school. (home, school, and community)
Preparing a social or developmental history on a child with a disability.
Counseling (group, individual and/or family)
Mobilizing family, school, and community resources to enable the child
to learn as effectively as possible in his or her educational program.
Assisting in developing positive behavioral intervention strategies.

8. Intervention with school environment
Students are prepared for the challenges of the future when their
academic, career, personal/social development and community
participation are supported.
Students are taught the skills for a lifetime of learning, career self
management and social interaction.
Students educational programs are related to next steps and future
success.
Students knowledge of our changing world is broadened.
Students career exploration and planning is facilitated.
Students are assured equitable access.
Each individual student receives advocacy.

9. Providing crisis intervention.
Developing intervention strategies to increase academic success.
Assisting with conflict resolution and anger management.
Helping the child develop appropriate social interaction skills.
Assisting the child in understanding and accepting self and others.
 Providing staff with essential information to better understand factors
(cultural, societal, economic, familial, health, etc.)
affecting a student’s performance and behavior.
Assessing students with mental health concerns.
Developing staff in-service training programs.
Assisting teachers with behavior management. Providing direct support
to staff.

10. Intervention with parents
Assisting families with parenting skills and setting home conditions to
support children as students, as well as assisting schools to understand
families.
Conducting effective communications from school-to-home and from home-
to-school about school programs and student progress.
Organizing volunteers and audiences to support the school and students.
Providing volunteer opportunities in various locations and at various times.
Involving families with their children on homework and other curriculum-
related activities and decisions.
Including families as participants in school decisions and developing parent
leaders and representatives.

11. Con…
Interviewing the family to assess problems affecting the child's
educational adjustment.
Working with parents to facilitate their support in their children's
school adjustment.
Alleviating family stress to enable the child to function more
effectively in school &community.
Assisting parents to access programs available to students with special
needs.
Assisting parents in accessing and utilizing school and community
resources.

12. The benefits to parents:
 Their children are prepared for the challenges of the future.
Their child’s long range planning and learning is a developed system.
Their child’s academics are tied to the next step.
Parents are provided with support in advocating for their child’s academic, career,
and personal development.
There are increased opportunities for parent/school interaction.
Parent access to school and community is facilitated.
Interviewing the family to assess problems affecting the child's educational
adjustment.
Working with parents to facilitate their support in their children's school
adjustment.
Alleviating family stress to enable the child to function more effectively in school
&community.
Assisting parents to access programs available to students with special needs.

13. Intervention with community and stakeholders:
Obtaining and coordinating community resources to meet students'
needs.
Helping school districts receive adequate support from social and mental
health agencies.
Advocating for new and improved community/school service to meet the
needs of students and families.
Helping the system respond effectively to each child's needs.
Obtaining and coordinating community resources to meet students'
needs.

14. Parents guidance and counseling
The school counsellor's first professional responsibility is to the students. The
educational, academic, career, personal, and social needs of all students within
the school setting, from Kindergarten to Grade 12, are the focus in planning and
delivering a developmental, comprehensive guidance and counselling program.
Collaboration with parents in the best interest of students is a key activity of
school counsellors.
The focus of school counselling is on the personal, social, educational, and
career development of the student.
Providing parents, as appropriate, with accurate information in a caring
manner is part of working with minors in a school setting.
The open sharing of guidance education activities with parents is separate from
the confidential nature of a counselling relationship.
Working with students to keep parents appropriately informed without
breaching confidentiality is an important responsibility. School counsellors
bridge communication with parents at every opportunity.

15. Benefits for Parents
Prepares their children for the challenges of the future.
Develops a system for their child’s long-range planning and learning.
Ties academics to their child’s next steps.
Provides support for parents in advocating for their child’s academic,
career, and personal development.
Increases opportunities for parent/school interaction.
Facilitates parent access to school and community resources.

16. Community guidance and counseling
School counsellors serve a dual role of educator (through guidance education activities) and
counsellor (through counselling services) merging when the counsellor is involved in prevention
work.
School Social Workers are the link between the home, school and community in providing direct
as well as indirect services to students, families and school personnel to promote and support
students' academic and social success.
All of life’s situations interact with each other. For instance, by addressing a student’s
personal/social needs through counselling, the school counsellor simultaneously teaches
resiliency skills and affects the student’s readiness for educational challenges.
As a result of such interrelationships, the school counsellor supports the integration of guidance
and counselling services to address school and community needs.
The school counsellor develops a comprehensive, developmental guidance and counselling
program with their school team to meet the needs for their context and specific school
population.
This development process includes identifying needs, implementing and monitoring programs, as
well as adjusting plans based on the developmental needs of students. Regular evaluation of the
plan and its implementation are important to ensure the school and community are being served.

17. Benefits of guidance and counseling program in
the community
Community awareness of student support systems necessary for success is
created.
Economic development is enhanced through quality preparation of
students for the world of work.
An increased opportunity for collaboration and participation of
community members with the school program is provided.
Creates community awareness and visibility of the student support
systems required for student success.
Enhances economic development through quality preparation of students
for the world of work. 3. Provides an increased opportunity for
collaboration and participation of community members with the school
program.

18. Con…
Educates the community to the needs of the school and the school to the needs
of the community.
The community is educated to the needs of the school and vice versa.
Dealing with multiple, interrelated concerns, such as poverty, child
development, education, violence, crime, safety, housing, and employment
requires multiple and interrelated solutions.
Promoting well-being, resilience, and protective factors and empowering
families, communities, and schools also requires the concerted effort of all
stakeholders.
Schools are more effective and caring places when they are an integral and
positive part of the community. This plays out as enhanced academic
performance, fewer discipline problems, higher staff morale.

19. Conclusion
School social workers play a vital role in addressing the various needs of
students in an educational setting. School counsellors are staff members
who work together with other certified teachers and clinical professionals
to increase opportunities for success in the lives of all learners. School
counsellors provide education, guidance, and counselling to all students in
the school through activities. School-Based Family Counseling (SBFC) is an
integrated approach to mental health intervention that focuses on both
school and family in order to help children overcome personal problems
and succeed at school. Not all social work service delivery in schools can be
seen as school social work. A service can be called school social work only
if the primary goal is achievement of student learning potential and
involve particular methods of working. These include coordinating and
influencing the efforts of the school, family and community to achieve this
goal.