School
Social Workers
Enhancing School Success for all
Students
Today’s students face
many social and personal
problems that threaten
their ability to do well in
school and inhibit their
progress toward becoming
productive citizens. As
educators we are all
responsible for working
together in helping
students to overcome
these obstacles and meet
with academic success.
This pamphlet was produced with
information from the National Association
of Social Workers and NASW’s School
Social Work Section
Keith J. Lynch, LCSW
School Social Worker
H. Frank Carey High School
230 Poppy Avenue
Franklin Square, NY 11010
539-9463
klynch@sewanhaka.k12.ny.us
SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKERS
School social workers are the link between
home, school, and community. As members
of the educational team comprised of
teachers, administrators, pupil personnel
staff, and parents, school social workers
promote and support students’ academic and
social success by providing specialized
services that include
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Individual and group counseling
Crisis prevention and intervention
Home visits
Social-developmental assessments
Parent education and training
Information and referral
Collaboration with community agencies
and organizations
Advocacy for students, parents, and
the school system
Coordination of programs such as Peer
Mediators, Big Brothers and Little
Brothers, and the Do the Right Thing
character education program
School social workers help students to
 Increase academic success
 Maximize educational opportunities
 Improve interpersonal relationships
 Cope with crisis situations
 Develop self-discipline
 Learn problem-solving and decisionmaking skills
School social workers and Special
Education
School social workers support parents
and families to
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Participate more fully in their children’s
education
Identify and meet their children’s social
and emotional needs
Access programs with special needs
Use school and community resources
more effectively
School social workers help educators to
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Develop and implement plans to
enhance students’ school success
Understand better how factors such as
family, culture, socioeconomic status,
and physical and mental health can
affect students’ performance
Identify and report child abuse and
neglect situations
Obtain community resources to meet
students needs
Coordinate services for individual
families
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Prepare social and
developmental histories on
children with disabilities
Provide group and individual
counseling
Work with problems in childrens’
living situations (home, school,
and community) that affect their
adjustment in school
School social workers also implement
behavior management plans, consult
with mainstream and special
education teachers, and provide case
management for students and
families requiring multiple services.
Relationship to School Counselors
and School Psychologists
School social workers focus on family
and community factors that
influence learning. They provide
intensive services for students facing
multiple risk factors. Together with
counselors and psychologists, school
social workers provide mental health
services. In addition, counselors
provide academic and career related
guidance and, psychologists focus on
special learning and behavior
problems.
For information on open positions
or to submit your resume, please
visit our Web site:
http://www.lucernepublishing.co
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