Dufferin-Peel CDSB - Our Lady of Good Voyage

"Social Workers Are There For You"

Social Workers at Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board

What is Social Work?

Social Workers help people deal with the day-to-day problems that reduce the ability to cope and function at an optimal level in personal and family relationships, at work, at school and in the community. Social workers focus on the social and emotional as well as economic factors that contribute to overall health and social well-being.

The social work profession is regulated under provincial legislation in Ontario. The initials ÒRSWÓ (Registered Social Worker) after a personÕs name indicate that they belong to the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers (OCSWSSW) and have the legal right to refer to themselves as a social worker

At Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board social workers are required to have a MSW (MasterÕs degree in social work), or PHD/DSW (Doctorate in social work) and be registered with the OCSWSSW.

How do School Social Workers Help?

School social workers have always played a critical role in the provision of services at Dufferin-Peel CDSB, working with students, families, staff and community services to enhance student success.School social workers provide:

Assessment and Counselling: student, family, group.Attendance: assess and intervene to support regular attendance.Consultation: with school staff, and parents/guardians.Referral: to community-based agencies and resources.Case Management: collaboration to ensure appropriate service. Advocacy: on behalf of student and family.

What are the Issues We Address?

School social workers can help students, families and schools when the following issues arise:

Mental health (anxiety, depression, etc.)	Substance abuse
Child management	New immigrant transitions
Relationship difficulties	Parent child conflict
Self-esteem	Poverty
Sexuality	Peer Conflict
Pregnancy	Separation/divorce/remarriage challenges
Violence in the family	Behaviour Issues
New immigrant transitions	Special education challenges

In the 2009/2010 school year social workers provided over 25000 consultations to school administrators and teachers

How To Get Referred to a Social Worker

School Social Work services are available at every Dufferin-Peel Catholic District school. Requests for Social Work service may be made by contacting the principal, vice-principal, teacher or guidance counsellor.

Social Workers are there for you with...

...Direct Service to Students and Families including Crisis Intervention.

Crises can be any significant situation resulting in significant emotional, financial or physical change. The definition of a crisis will vary by person, family or community and social workers are there when schools experience a crisis of any sort. Social workers come when requested and respond to crisis issues with students, families and staff in a variety of situations including:

Student Illness
Death/Bereavement
Tragic Events
Suicide
Violence in the home

School social workers are there to support students, parents, staff and the larger school community in times of crisis.

Your school social worker is available to provide support services as needed in the event of tragic events at school or in the larger school community.

In the 2009/2010 school year social workers provided 8524 direct interventions to students and families

Social Workers are there for you…

…Providing support to meet Material Needs (food, clothing etc.).

When students and their families experience poverty, school social workers respond in a manner that protects the dignity of families and that reflects the DPCDSB’s tradition of taking action to support vulnerable students in a respectful, caring and inclusive manner.

School social workers can support families with material needs:

Emergency Food Funds (available in many families of schools)
Breakfast clubs (available in some schools)
Emergency shelter and homeless prevention
Support at Christmas
Clothing for graduation
Dufferin-Peel Donations, a social work initiated website on Board e-mail (a means for DP employees to donate items that social workers have requested for families in need)
Referral to community resources with such essentials as food banks, access to clothing, winter coat programs, dental/vision care

School social workers are there to support students and their families when they are experiencing economic difficulties as reflected in the lack of food, clothing etc.

In the 2009/2010 school year social workers provided service to 848 referrals connected to poverty and material needs

Social Workers are there for you ……

….Providing support to children experiencing the impact of parental separation and or divorce.

When parents separate, children are affected no matter their age. Changes in a student’s behaviour that may indicate coping difficulties include: acting out, sadness, decline in grades, loss of motivation, lack of interest in activities.

School social workers can support families and schools by:

Assisting parents with the task of how to inform their children.
Providing children and parents an opportunity to discuss their feelings.
Facilitating referrals to community agencies for families who need further support in dealing with their situation.
Consulting with administration, teachers and parents regarding behaviours, maintaining consistent routines and expectations during this time of transition.

School social workers are there to support students and their families when they are experiencing separation and divorce.

In the 2009/2010 school year social workers provided service to 2931 referrals involving family issues

Social workers are there for you with….

…..Direct service to students and families who are experiencing family violence.

When students and their families are affected by family violence, students may experience emotional, physical, social, cognitive and behavioural effects. Students may use violence to resolve conflict and may have difficulty developing healthy relationships with peers and adults.

School social workers can support families with:

Crisis intervention support including developing a safety plan.

Accessing appropriate community services: legal, housing, financial, and counselling.

Facilitating individual support to children and families.

Consulting with administration and teachers to best meet student and family needs.

School social workers are there to support students and their families who are experiencing family violence.

In the 2009/2010 school year social workers provided service to 393 referrals involving family violence issues