Chief Social Worker Chief Social Worker is responsible for maintaining professional standards in the provision of social work services in the Board. Other responsibilities include; professional supervision of social work staff; responsibility for the attendance counseling function, including acting as consultant for attendance conferences and as secretary for the Supervised Alternative Learning for Excused Pupils Committee (SALEP); providing assistance and information about child abuse and related topics and acting as liaison with various social and community services. Requests for social work information from other Boards and agencies, as well as response to such requests, are handled through this office. Social Worker Under the direction of the Superintendent of Special Education and through the Chief of Service, the social worker will help the school and home, resolve social, behavioural and emotional difficulties which interfere with a student’s education by providing assessment, counseling, therapy or referral to individual groups and families as well as consultation to school staff. The service will be provided to board wide and site-based alternative settings. Major Functions and Responsibilities • interview students, individually in families, or in groups to assess their situation and problems and determine the types of services required • provides counseling and therapy services to assist students and their families in developing skills to deal with and resolve the student’s social, emotional or behavioural problems which are affecting their education • provides attendance counseling services for students and/or parents including proceeds to court under the Education Act, where that is deemed appropriate by an Attendance Conference • interviews and counsels students and parents on the S.A.L.E.P. (Supervised Alternative Learning for Excused Pupils), including presenting the case to the S.A.L.E.P. Committee • acts as a resource person and facilitator to school staff in cases of suspected child abuse • advises teachers, student and parents of the nature and significance of learning problems and appropriate method of responding to them 03 2005 2-10 • coordinating referrals to various agencies including obtaining and maintaining upto-date knowledge of community services and maintaining appropriate working relationships with these services • providing on-going professional support to school, student and family when the student or family has been referred to another agency • participate as an integral member of the in-school special services team and act as a resource person to alternative education program • assist in the development and follow through of IPRC Committee outcomes • develop and conduct in-service programs, workshops and presentations as needed • adhere to professional standards of practice and code of behaviour • remaining current on relevant research, legislation and professional literature • draft correspondence, reports and maintain professional and statistical records • seek advice and consultation, where appropriate from the Chief of Service • other duties, as assigned 03 2005 2-10