Integrated Student Support Professionals:
School Social Workers

Role

In an effort to help students achieve academic and personal success, School Social Workers provide a vital link among school, home and community. Social Workers view student functioning in their environments from a strengths-based, wholistic viewpoint. They provide a range of services to students and their families from prevention to crisis intervention. Practice modalities include individual, family and group counseling, case management, consultation, prevention programming, and referral to community-based agencies.

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The role is shaped by many considerations. Some students receive social work services as part of their Individualized Education Program, (IEP) under IDEA. As defined under IDEA, School Social Workers support student success by:

• "preparing a social or developmental history on a child with a disability;
• group and individual counseling with the child and family;
• working in partnership with parents and others on those problems in a child's living situation (home, school, and community) that affect the child's adjustment in school;
• mobilizing school and community resources to enable the child to learn as effectively as possible in his or her educational program; and
• assisting in developing positive behavioral intervention strategies." [Section 300.24(b)(13)] NICHCY News Digest

A much broader role for school social workers is articulated in the Connecticut State Department of Education Position Statement on Student Support Services (2001). This document emphasizes the need for preventative services that are available to all students.

Additionally, each school district has policies that further serve to shape practice.

State Organization

Connecticut Association of School Social Workers http://www.cassw.org

National Organizations

National Association of Social Workers http://www.socialworkers.org

National Association of School Social Workers http://www.sswaa.org

Connecticut State Department of Education

Building a Bridge: A Transitional Manual for Studentshttp://www.state.ct.us/sde/deps/special/BuildingABridge.pdf

The Connecticut Agendahttp://www.state.ct.us/sde/deps/special/agenda.pdf

Developing Quality Programs for Pupil Services: A Self-Directed Guide (CSDE, 1999). http://www.state.ct.us/sde/deps/special/QPPupilSrves.pdf

Guidelines for Developing Policies and Procedures for Reporting Child Abuse and Neglect (2000). http://www.state.ct.us/sde/deps/special/abuse.pdf

Guidelines for Identifying and Educating Students with Serious Emotional Disturbance (1997) http://www.state.ct.us/sde/deps/special/SEDguide.pdf

Guidelines for Identifying Children with Intellectual Disability/Mental Retardation (2000)

http://www.state.ct.us/sde/deps/special/intelguide.pdf

For More Information Please Contact

Bob Lichtenstein, Ph.D.
Consultant for School Social Workers
Connecticut State Department of Education
Bureau of Early Childhood, Family and Student Services
25 Industrial Park Road , Middletown , CT 06457
860-807-2042
Fax (860) 807-2062
bob.lichtenstein@po.state.ct.us

Resources on the Web

American Psychological Association: www.apa.org

Character Development Foundation www.charactered.org

Connecticut State Department of Education: www.state.ct.us/sde/commish/schoolclimate.htm

Educators for Social Responsibility/Resolving Conflicts Creatively Program: http://esrnational.org/

National Parent Teacher Association: www.pta.org

National School Board Association: www.nsba.org/schoolhealth/

Safe and Sound: An Educational Leader’s Guide to Evidence-Based Social and Emotional Learning Programs (2002). The Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) http://www.casel.org/safeandsound.htm

Youth Violence: A Report of the Surgeon General :http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/library/youthviolence/

Connecticut Hot Line Numbers

• Birth to Three referrals (800-505-7000). This information and referral service, dedicated solely to concerns about children below age 3 with possible developmental delays or special needs, is the primary intake mechanism for birth to three services.
• Department of Children and Families (DCF) Hotline (800-842-2288). Call this 24-hour service to report suspected child abuse or neglect. If uncertain about whether to make a report, you can call administrative offices at 860-344-2599 to consult with a supervisor.
• INFOLINE (800-203-1234). This one-stop referral and information service can address every conceivable human services need. It doubles as a suicide prevention hotline and provides speakers on this topic.