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“The Roles and Responsibilities of Social Worker in School Perspective”, Presented by Johnny Bolla., a 1st year MSW student Patrician College of Arts& Science-Adyar, Cheenai-20.

Role of a Social Worker in a School

“THE BEST WAY TO FIND YOU IS TO LOSE YOURSELF IN THE SERVICE OF OTHERS.”- MAHATMA GANDHI

The role of a school social worker is to network with not only educational staff and administrators, but with the students. A social worker, who is sometimes referred to as a counselor, attempts to reduce present or potential risks in a student's life. Increasingly, schools employ social workers to lessen the educational and developmental problems facing children .School social workers operate as a link among the school, the students, their families, and the community’s social services. They work with students both in their homes and in their schools, while focusing on family and community factors that influence their performance in school. School social workers make a broad impact. They often reduce the number of school dropouts, or they may coordinate agency services for students and their families, and increasingly they develop strategies to prevent school violence.

A school social worker must often coordinate a team of teachers, parents, and social service providers, it is important to have the ability and willingness to work well with other professionals and   inspire cooperation. The school social worker must be sensitive and responsive to the needs of both family and child. School social workers  must be resourceful and flexible to successfully create individualized programs to help each child. Often school social workers must be willing to advocate for new resources when needed services are not available in the community.

It is also important that school social workers express themselves clearly and enjoy the challenges and rewards of working with children .School social workers must have the perseverance and dedication to help students and their families realize specific, individual goals. A desire to continue to learn helps social workers discover new methods and research that will help them improve their practice.

 The National Association of Social Workers identifies four major areas of school social work practice:

1.	Early intervention to reduce or eliminate stress within or between individuals or groups.

2.	Problem-solving services to students, parents, school personnel, or community agencies.

3.	Early identification of students at risk

4.	 Work with various groups in school to developcoping, social, and decision-making skills

School social workers play an important role in gathering information about a student’s social, emotional, and behavioral adjustments to both school and the community. They conduct interviews with the student, the family, school personnel, other significant persons in the student’s life, as well as make classroom observations of the student. They use this information to prepare social and developmental histories that identify the student’s strengths and problem areas.

TECHNIQUES FOR SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKER TO DEAL STUDENTS:

Using direct counseling and referral techniques:

School social workers identify and consider solutions to problems. They also develop and obtain resources and information to  help the student and, when necessary, the family. Their aim is to improve the overall quality of life for the student so he or she is free to learn. They may work with a multidisciplinary team to accomplish this goal; but, like other Social workers, school social workers must value the dignity and worth of each student in order to build a basis for trust and understanding. Confidentiality is a prime concern with students and their families. All information that is shared with school social workers is held in the strictest confidence.

Direct counseling may be on an individual basis or with groups:

School social workers may hold group sessions with teenagers whose behavior or academic progress indicates the need for counseling. They may be called in to evaluate an excessively aggressive four-year-old or to help a seven-year-old who has a fire-setting problem. Sometimes, a change in the school setting, tutoring, or special classes may be Recommended. If a community agency referral is appropriate, the school social worker will arrange for that service. In short, school social workers use a case-by-case method similar to other social workers, but always with the basic goal of maximizing the child’s potential to benefit fully from his or her education.

THE MAJOR ROLES OF SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKER:

Student Well Being Social workers share their advice with students and parents involve the emotional, educational, social and physical well being of the child. Diagnostic Testing Administering educational diagnostic testing is among the duties of a school social worker. Detecting developmental disabilities early helps teachers develop a proper plan to assist the student. At-Risk Students Families and social workers communicate frequently. Students who are deemed at-risk or in an economically depressed family often receive services from a social worker. By networking with outside social services departments, social workers help ensure that the students' overall needs are met. Referral Services Referring parents to counseling services is another social worker duty. When the emotional well being, and home life of a student causes potential or perceived damage to the child, a social worker steps in to aid the child and family. Child Removal A difficult task associated with being a school social worker is recommending the removal of a child from the home. By working with both law enforcement and the local children's services department, a school social worker can initiate

Linking Families and Schools social workers often help students by acting as a link between their parents School or guardians and their teachers, as well as school administrators and staff. Addressing Problems School social workers address student problems such as teen pregnancy and truancy. They give teachers advice on how to deal with difficult students. Helping Students School social workers help students reach their full potential, understand themselves, cope with stress, and improve their relationships and decision-making skills. Helping Parents School social workers help parents become more involved in their children's education. They help parents who have special-needs children to better understand their children, and they help those parents find resources and programs to meet their children's needs. Helping Communities School social workers serve as a bridge between schools and communities.

Requirements for a Staff School Social Worker:

Social workers need diverse skills and training to work with clients.

Social workers play an important role in assisting clients with social and psychological problems. Social workers receive extensive training in health and welfare services. In essence, social workers work as advocates and liaisons for clients. Professionals in the social work field can find employment in schools, domestic abuse centers and the criminal justice system. Social workers can begin work with a bachelor's degree in social work and pursue advanced clinical training with a master's degree in the field.

Linking Clients to Services

Staff social workers are responsible for connecting clients to services in the greater community such as mental health facilities, church programs, housing and medical treatment. For example, an ex-offender faces a host of challenges upon release that impact his re-entry into society. These road blocks include mental health and substance abuse issues, employment and housing. A social worker can make a client's transition smoother by linking the person to services before they are released from prison.

Interviewing and Training

Social workers must have a thorough knowledge of interviewing techniques in social work and must develop effective ways of conducting client evaluations. A clinical social worker at a psychiatric hospital may assess a client's mental health, substance abuse history and medical conditions in order to develop an effective treatment plan. Social workers may also conduct interviews with a client's family or gather information from an agency working in tandem with the worker. Social workers also provide life skills training for former inmates returning to the community. Issues in life skill training include: relearning social norms, handling interpersonal relationships and anger management training.

Knowledge of HIPPA

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 established universal confidentiality and privacy standards for electronic health records. Social workers treat a broad spectrum of clientele who have complex social, legal medical and mental health issues. Accordingly, social workers must ensure that all information associated with a person's health care remains secure. A social worker cannot disclose information about a client without the expressed authorization of the patient. Information protected under HIPPA guidelines includes any information that exposes a client's identity or medical records.

The Social Skills Portal:

Knowing how people work is the key to social success. Social skills can be applied anywhere in life to help you get what you are after and sometimes very quickly. When you get someone to like you, you’ve just leveraged their abilities into your favor, at the very least. It is important to have a real social network of friends that you can count on and in turn can count on you to help improve your lives. Random Skills of School Social Workers:

Social Skills: Matching

One of the sneakiest ways to gain someone's comfort and trust is to match or mimic them. People are subconsciously drawn to those who are more like them, so if you don't look like your target you'll have to give them the impression you are just like them, by matching their movements, mannerisms, and beliefs. If your target is suspicious or cynical, this can be difficult to do without tipping them off. This technique works best with people who are weak-minded or some who are ambitious. While the weak-minded person will be oblivious to your tricks, the ambitious person probably won't care, and may actually be happy that they've found someone to kiss up to them.

	Mannerisms, breathing, posture, and blinking 	Observations about the world or immediate environment Beliefs and goals.

School Social Worker  vs.  School Counselor School social workers and school counselors are pupil services professionals who work either in several schools in a district or specifically in one school. Schools generally have both a school social worker and a school counselor on staff. Function:	The function of school social workers and school counselors is to provide counseling, intervention and academic assistance services and evaluation to ensure that children are achieving their highest level of academic success. Similarities 	Both school social workers and school counselors may provide intervention and advocacy, referrals to outside agencies for further assistance, and individual and group counseling to students and families. Differences	School counselors generally focus on curriculum and future educational planning, whereas social workers are more involved in social and family problems. EducationBold text	School social workers usually have, at minimum, a master's degree in social work, whereas school counselors have a master's in school counseling. Certification	Both school social workers and school counselors are required to be state certified in order to practice; however, requirements differ from state to state

The School Counsellor is a specialist who works under the direction and general supervision of the Superintendent of Student Services and the Student Services Co-ordinators to provide support to students who have been identified as having social, emotional or behavioural problems. School Counsellors are employed for the purpose of providing specialized support for students with exceptional needs. These personnel consult and collaborate with teachers, administrators, parents and other personnel or agencies to support student success at school. The School Counsellor acts as a liaison between the school, the home, the community and Other agencies to help the student function effectively and achieve their fullest potential. Procedures.

The School Counsellor is expected to carry out the following duties and responsibilities: Bold text 1. Participate as an active member of the Student Services team in carrying out the GSSD Student Services Vision. 2. Provide direct counseling services to students. 3. Participate in the identification and planning process with regard to the unmet needs of   Children and youth in the school. 4. Collaborate with teachers and other school personnel in providing service to students and families. 5. Have the highest regard for, understand, and communicate to others the limitations of   Privacy and confidentiality. 6. Use a family-centered case management approach. 7. Help parents understand their child more objectively and set appropriate goals for their Child’s learning. 8. Conduct home visitations when deemed necessary and appropriate with the safety of           the School Counselor being a priority. 9. In consultation with other school staff, inform parents of their child’s adjustment and Progress from the school’s point of view.

CONCLUSION:

Thus, the school social worker deals with each and every aspect of children. It is the school social worker who makes the future generation  to inculcate the moral values and ethical life which leads the betterment and welfare of the society. As our first Prime Minister Jawarlal Nehru said, children are future our nation, a school social worker should mould the children by their skills and creativity. A school worker is not only for the students he/she is a counselor for the teachers too. First of the teachers should be modulated and then students. Therefore school social worker practices so many roles and responsibilities such  as Student Well Being, diagnostic testing, counselor etc.

REFERENCE:

	Germain, C. (2006). An ecological perspective on social work in the schools. In R. Constable. C. R. Massat, S. McDonald, & J. P. Flynn (Eds.), School social work: Practice, policy and research (6th ed., pp. 28–39). Chicago: Lyceum Books.

	Gordon, W. E. (1969). Basic constructs for an integrative and generative conception of social work. In G. Hearn (Ed.), The general systems approach: Contributions toward an holistic conception of social work (pp. 5–11). New York: Council on Social Work Education.

	Poole, F. (1959). The social worker’s contribution to the classroom teacher. In G. Lee(Ed.), Helping the troubled school child: Selected readings in school social work. New York: National Association of Social Workers.

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