Great question! Basically, a School Social Worker is a part of the total educational team of a school. We work alongside other colleagues from other disciplines to provide the best educational experience for ALL students. A Social Worker's unique graduate level training enables us to understand and interpret the influence that the school, home, and community have on students.

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The School Social Worker helps students:

• achieve maximum academic benefit from their educational opportunities

• understand themselves and others

• develop self-control and take responsibility for their actions

• cope with stress

• develop decision-making skills

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The School Social Worker helps parents:

• participate effectively in their children's education

• better understand and meet their children's social and emotional needs

• better understand and utilize school and community

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The School Social Worker helps schools:

• understand factors that affect students abilities to allow for maximum use of their school experience 

• access community resources

• improve school climate through development of school policies and a wide range of prevention and intervention programs 

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The School Social Worker helps communities:

• understand school policies, programs and practices

• minimize environmental factors which inhibit learning

• develop resources to adequately meet the need of students and families 

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Contributed by Illinois Association of School Social Workers (IASSW)