Welcome to the Social Work Department
The Social Work Department is under the administrative direction of the Superintendent of Program and the clinical consultation/supervision of the Chief Social Worker. The mandate is to promote optimal student functioning. Social Workers focus on the social, behavioural and emotional factors which impede a student's school performance and move quickly with the school, home and student towards a timely resolution of the difficulties blocking success.
School Social Work Services in Dufferin-Peel Brochure
Contact Information:
Chief Social Worker: Glenn Carley MSW, RSW
Secretary: Linda DeBellis
Main phone : (905) 890-0708 Ext. 24333
Fax number : (905) 361-0352
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The Social Work department is comprised of 31.8 FTE Social Workers (MSW) with .5 dedicated to provide service to students with Autism in specialized classes and 1.7 assigned to the New Directions Limited Expulsion program at Archbishop Romero. Dufferin-Peel School Social Workers provide school-based service and support to the students of Dufferin-Peel by means of approximately one Social Worker for every 3000 students with usual assignments of 4 to 5 schools, although some Social workers would be assigned to a larger number of locations.
School Social Workers help students, families, teachers and school administrators to overcome barriers and problems that affect students’ school performance and achievement.
School Social Work is a Specialized Area of Practice
School Social Work is a specialized field of practice within the broad field of the Social Work profession. School Social Workers bring unique knowledge and skills to the education system and are instrumental in furthering the purpose of the education of children. School Social Workers offer a school-based delivery of a wide myriad of service within the school system and the community.
School Social Workers Help Students:
- Attend school and become successful learners
- Achieve maximum benefit from their educational opportunities
- Gain personal, emotional and social competencies
- Improve interpersonal relationships with peers, teachers, family
- Improve/develop self esteem and self discipline
- Cope with stress and distress
- Learn problem-solving and decision making skills
- Cope in times of crisis
School Social Workers Help Parents:
- Understand their children’s developmental, social and educational needs
- Understand special education services
- Participate effectively in their children’s education
- Be knowledgeable about programs in the school and community available to students
- Utilize school and community resources effectively
- Access parent education programs
- Communicate their concerns and needs to the teachers and the school administrators
School Social Workers Help Schools:
- Understand how family, cultural and community, mental health and socio-economic factors affect students’ learning
- Promote a safe school environment
- Identify students at risk or in crisis
- Identify and report child abuse and neglect
- Work effectively with parents
- Develop and implement plans and programs to enhance students’ school success
- Implement effective prevention programs which address such issues as: school attendance, suicide, child abuse and neglect, teen pregnancy, violence and school safety, drug and alcohol abuse
- Participate in the Special Education process
School Social Workers help Communities:
- Understand school policies, programs and practices
- Develop resources which adequately meet the needs of students and families
- Collaborate and plan with communities agencies on the most effective way to deliver services to needy families
Services Provided by School Social Workers
1. Direct Services to students and families
q Assessment of strengths and needs of student within context of family, school and community
q Development of intervention plan to meet the student’s needs
q Individual counselling of student
q Group counselling/interventions
q Family intervention
q Crisis Intervention services to students following a tragic event in the school community
2. Consultation
q With school staff about interventions within and outside classroom
q With school administrators regarding interventions with students and staff
q Providing appropriate feedback to school staff regarding student’s goals and successes
q With Interdisciplinary team members
q With School Board administration on delivery of programs within schools, about the needs of schools with high risk populations
q With school staff and administrators when critical incidents occur within schools
3. Collaboration and communication
q With other providers of family and children’s’ services to provide a continuum of services for students and their families
q With community resource providers to plan coordinated services that will benefit the students and their families
q With community committees providing representation and input from local School Boards and school communities
q With community partners on protocols, policies and procedures of working together across systems
4. Prevention program delivery
q School Social Workers offer classroom presentations in areas of:
n Social skill development
n Personal safety
n Anti-bullying
n Suicide prevention
n Child abuse and protection
n Family violence prevention
n Healthy dating relationships
n Promote and collaborate with community partners in the delivery of specialized programs.
n Provide in-service training to parents
5. Professional Development In-services
q To school staff and other relevant School Board staff on topics such as:
n Legislation of mandated child abuse reporting
n Classroom management techniques
n Effective communication with parents
n Suicide prevention and early warning signs of students at risk
n Anti-bullying
6. Additional Services provided
q Advocacy for families for access to community resources
q Liaison with government ministries and committees
q Publishing materials for parents, school social workers and other interdisciplinary team members
q Research and publication of effective practice at Dufferin-Peel