The School Social Work and Attendance office (District Office) establishes and supports best practice standards for the more than 150 professional social workers who provide mental health services, formal psychosocial assessments as part of the ESE identification process, attendance and truancy intervention, to support students and their families in Broward County Public Schools. The practice standards of the National Association of Social Workers and the School Social Work Association of America guide the establishment of practices and procedures for social work delivery in what we recognize is a non-social work services environment.

We assess client/school/community needs and develop practice models, staff development activities, and on-going consultation to administrators and staff.  These activities empower and support school social workers in effectively interfacing with their unique client groups.

Additionally, school social work and attendance manages several district –wide specialty programs that directly impact and support the academic achievement and eventual high school graduation of the students of Broward County. Several of these programs are legislatively mandated and/or supported by School Board policies.

The school social worker functions as a liaison between the school, family, and community, provides intervention, addresses issues of non-attendance and truancy, and provides behavioral assessments, crisis intervention, and consultation in addressing the barriers to student achievement.

LIAISON

• Communicating with school staff

• Communicating with parents

• Communicating with community agencies

• Linking parents, staff and students to mental health, medical, and social service; including food, clothing, and shoes

• Providing follow-up case management with teachers, and parents.

• Promoting parent –school collaboration

• Conducting home visits

• Verifying home Addresses

• Processing expulsion Letters

INTERVENTION/COUNSELING

• Facilitating Groups

•    divorce

•    social skills

•    conflict management/truancy prevention

•    parenting

•   family adjustment

• Individual short-term counseling

• Educational concerns

• Family issues

• Emotional, social concern

NON-ATTENDANCE/TRUANCY INTERVENTIONS

• Student assessment

• Family assessment

• Home visits

• Referrals to community agencies

• Consultations with appropriateness of student placement, curriculum and program

• Broward Truancy Intervention Program (BTIP)

• Referral to Department of Children and Families

• Representation in court

ASSESSMENTS

• Psycho-social assessment

• Adaptive behavior scales

CRISIS INTERVENTION

• Serving on crisis support teams

CONSULTATION

• Reviewing student records

• Observing students

• Consulting with individual or groups of teachers

• Participating on district committees

• Consulting with professionals in the community

• Participating on Collaborative Problem Solving Teams

• Participating on Staffing Committee

• Conducting parent conferences

• Participating on School Improvement Teams

• Consulting With parents