Social Work
Services
Program Department
Building Inclusive Catholic Communities
Revised July 2010
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Learning for All
The LDCSB welcomes all students and
will provide them with the quality
education they deserve;
Mission Of the LDCSB:
To serve the Catholic student in a community
that nurtures a living faith and provides a quality
Catholic education that enables the individual to
become a contributing member of the Church
and society.
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Social Work Service Vision
We believe in the following values and
principles of social work practice:
• Dignity and worth of all students
• Acceptance and respect
• The right of students to self determination
• A strengths-based perspective
• A holistic approach to the person in their
environment
• The right to confidentiality
• Advocacy as a social work activity
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Why Social Work Services
In Schools?
1. Learning can be significantly affected
by social, economic, and emotional
issues
2. Social Workers help
students make the most of
their educational experience by
addressing these issues to create an
environment for academic success
3. Social Workers work with children,
youth and their families
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Who Are School Social Workers?
School Social Workers:
– Are members of the Affiliate Area Team
– Have specialized knowledge in
relationships, individual and family
functioning, interviewing, counselling skills,
community development and community
resources
– Hold a Bachelor or Master
of Social Work degree
– Are members of the Ontario
College of Social/Workers/Social
Service Workers
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Who Do We Serve?
4% of students receive
Individual Social Work Service
6%
Attendance 7%
Personal Safety 6%
Other
Social
Family
Emotional
Issues
36%
17%
Behaviour
Trauma/Loss 6%
22%
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Social Worker Activity
Individual Contact
(Student/Parent)
Documentation
2%
6%
6%
Travel
2%
3%
15%
53%
Communication with
School Personnel
Community Referral and
Linkage
Committees/Meetings
Group Work
3%
10%
72 % of time is spent in Direct Service
Supervision of Social
Work Students
Messaging
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When Can Social Workers Help?
As members of the Affiliate Team, Social
Workers can help when the following issues
impact on school performance:
• Abuse/Violence
• Alcohol or Drug concerns
• Anxiety
• Poor Attendance (in collaboration with the
Attendance Counsellor)
• Disruptive or Attention-Seeking Behaviour
• Bereavement
• Bullying
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When Can Social Workers Help?
Continued
•
•
•
•
•
•
Depression
Family Crisis
Parenting Questions
Poor peer relationships
Suicidal thoughts/behaviours
Tragic Events
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Service Delivery Model
• All schools have an assigned Social Worker
• Services and staffing are based on the
characteristics of the school community:
–
–
–
–
–
Family income
Incidence of love income
Parent education
Percentage of ESL students
Percentage of students at risk
• Determined by the Early Development Inventory
• Knowledge of the Social Workers and other
Program Department staff
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Service Delivery Model
Continued
• When possible, Social Workers are
assigned to a “Family of Schools” that
includes:
• Several Elementary Schools
• One Secondary School
• Most Social Workers have an
office in a Secondary School
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What Services Are Offered?
The Social Worker may provide some
or all of the following:
• Case
• Advocacy
Conferences
• Agency Liaison
• Classroom
Interventions
• Assessment
• Prevention Programs:
• Attendance
suicide, bullying,
Counselling (In
violence
collaboration with the
• Staff professional
Attendance Counsellor)
development
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What Services Are Offered?
Continued
•
•
•
•
•
•
Community Referrals
Consultation
Crisis Intervention
Group Work
Individual Counselling
Parenting Skills
Training
Social Workers work with individuals, small groups, whole class,
staff and families to deliver their service.
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Referral Checklist
When the classroom teacher, parent, SPST, and
principal feel that a student would benefit from Social
Work Intervention the following occurs:
• A referral is made to the
in-school team who will review
the following:
– That parents are aware of the concerns
– Past/present agency involvement has been
determined
– In-school problem solving actions have
been implemented and the
problem persists
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Referral Checklist
Continued
The In-school team will then seek
• Consultation with the Social Worker and
other Affiliate Team members
• Parents are notified that a social work
referral is recommended
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Referral Process
1. Teacher, Principal or SPST completes
the Social Work Referral Form
2. The Social Worker screens the referral
to determine the next steps
3. Parental consent is obtained (for
students 16 and younger)
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Social Workers
Are a team of
skilled professionals
Offer counselling,
referral and
consultation
Address the needs
of all students
Work collaboratively
with others
Support the school
staff in
a myriad of ways
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