Social Workers

School Social Workers serve as a link between home, school, and community. School social work is a specialized area of practice within the broad field of the social work profession. School social workers bring unique knowledge and skills to the school system and the educational support team. In particular, school social workers are trained in mental health concerns, behavioral concerns, positive behavioral supports, academic and classroom interventions. Through on-going consultation, school social workers assist classroom teachers, parents, and administrators in identifying potential barriers to students’ academic success and social/emotional well-being. School social workers provide support through crisis intervention, individual or group counseling that may address a variety of concerns, including:

• Developing positive peer relationships
• Mediating conflicts
• Improving social skills
• Learning problem-solving, decision-making, and coping skills
• Developing strategies to increase academic success
• Providing crisis intervention
• Managing stress
• Identifying symptoms of depression, anxiety, and reactions to loss or trauma

School social workers are well-versed in the numerous resources available in the community and are able to link families with appropriate agencies and service providers.