Standards for school social work services

NASW periodically revises the NASW Standards for School Social Work Services to meet the changing needs of school social workers, the clients they serve, andlocal education agencies.. Th

N A S W

Sc So

N A S W S t a n d a r d s f o r

School

Social Work

S e r v i c e s

Elizabeth J Clark, PhD, ACSW, MPH,

NASW Executive Director

Standards for School Social Work Services

Work Group

Michelle Alvarez, MSW, EdD, LICSW, C-SSWS

Corrine Anderson-Ketchmark, MSW

Ron Avi Astor, MSW, PhD

Beth G Betman, MSW, LICSW, RPT-S

Lynn Bye, PhD, MSW, LISW

Andy Frey, PhD

Joseph R Gianesin, PhD, MSW, LICSW

Carolyn Read, MSW, ACSW, C-SSWS, LCSW

Cindy Sweigart, MS, MSW, LMSW

Galen Thomas, MSW, ACSW, LCSW, CSSW (IL)

Carmen D Weisner, MSW, LCSW, ACSW

NASW Staff

Tracy R Whitaker, DSW, ACSW

Sharon S Issurdatt, MSW, ACSW, DCSW, LICSW

Kamilah Omari, LLMSW, ACSW

©2012 National Association of Social Workers.

All Rights Reserved.

10 Standard 5 Decision Making and Practice Evaluation

10 Standard 6 Record Keeping

11 Standard 7 Workload Management

11 Standard 8 Professional Development

12 Standard 9 Cultural Competence

13 Standard 10 Interdisciplinary Leadership and Collaboration

13 Standard 11 Advocacy

14 Appendix A Administrative Structure and Support

The Ev

A

For over a hundred years, school social workershave been providing a critical link betweenschool, home, and community The schoolsocial work profession has consistently focused

on coordinating the efforts of schools, families,and communities toward helping studentsimprove their academic achievement and social,emotional, and behavioral competence by usingits unique perspective of viewing the person inhis or her environment School social workersseek to ensure equitable education opportunities;

ensure that students are mentally, physically, andemotionally present in the classroom; andpromote respect and dignity for all students

School social work is a complex and specializedfield of practice that is affected by changes ineducation policy, research, and practice modelsthat continue to evolve NASW periodically

revises the NASW Standards for School Social Work Services to meet the changing needs of

school social workers, the clients they serve, andlocal education agencies NASW has revisedthese standards to reflect the values of ourprofession and current practice trends

The Evolving Context of Education

Passage of the 2002 No Child Left BehindAct, a reauthorization of the Elementary andSecondary Education Act, addresses schoolsocial work services and was written to create

a stronger, more accountable education systemwith an emphasis on parental involvement,evidence-informed educational strategies,and data-informed decision making

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act

of 2004 (IDEA), a reauthorization of theEducation for All Handicapped Children Act(PL 94-142), also addresses school social workservices This reauthorization promotes theadoption of effective interventions and places

a premium on prevention by allowing schooldistricts to alter substantially the screening andidentification procedures for children withdisabilities Specifically, IDEA permits schooldistricts to use a process that determinesstudents’ ability to respond to scientific,evidence-informed interventions as criteriafor special education eligibility This approach,referred to as response to intervention (RtI),has been applied to academic and behavioralsupports in special and regular education Thismethod can replace the discrepancy model—theprocess of comparing ability and achievement toidentify students with learning difficulties

The multitier model suggests a reallocation ofschool social work services to address schoolwideand small group intervention and consideration

of more intensive interventions for individualstudents, based on their level of response tointerventions at prior levels The RtI frameworkdirects school personnel to monitor studentsuccess across all three levels and to makedata-informed decisions to determine whichstudents require more intensive levels ofintervention By using data-informed decisionmaking, schools can more effectively directresources to where they are needed

Educational research has focused on thefollowing five topics and will likely continue tohave a direct impact on school social workpractice: (1) integrated intervention efforts that

Guidin

(4) approaches that seek to improve individualand system factors contributing to academicsuccess; and (5) data-informed decision makingand intervention fidelity.

These policy, research, and practice themes arereflected in these standards

Guiding Principles

The following guiding principles addressmultiple domains of practice and are reflected

in these standards

1 Education/School Reform: Legislators,

policymakers, and the general public willcontinue to demand reform and increasedaccountability as economic stressors requirecutbacks in expenditures for education It isimportant that social workers be proactive toaddress these pressures and advocate forresources School social workers actively helpschool systems meet expectations of federal,state, and local mandates; particularly thosedesigned to promote equal educationalopportunity, social justice, and the removal ofbarriers to learning School social work practice

is consistent with these mandates and promotesthe academic mission of schools by fosteringeducational environments that are safe; havesupportive, fair, and responsive policies; andemphasize early intervention and positivebehavioral interventions

2 Social Justice: Equal educational opportunity

continues to be an elusive goal as indicated bydiscrepancies in standardized measures ofachievement, graduation rates, and thepercentage of students attending college acrosspopulation subgroups It is important for theschool social worker to collaborate with andfacilitate collaboration among students, parents,community members, administration, teachers,and other school staff to identify ways tointervene early with students who struggle tobenefit fully from the educational system Anecological perspective, the hallmark of socialwork education, is essential for identifyingresources for addressing these disparities

3 Multitier Interventions: The multitier model

includes three tiers relating to prevention andintervention

Tier 1refers to evidence-informed, schoolwideprevention programs and practices that teachpositive behaviors, promote social emotionaldevelopment, and ensure a school climateconducive to learning Tier 1 programs andpractices are implemented by all staff in theschool setting Ongoing data-informeddecision making ensures that Tier 1interventions are effective

Tier 2refers to the use of evidence-informed,small group, and short-term interventionsfocused on improving early academic andsocial–emotional engagement to reduce problembehavior For example, these interventions couldtarget conflict resolution, social skills, mentalhealth needs, and short-term crisis situationsthat do not require more intensive tier 3interventions On the basis of data

Goals

of the condition on a student’s functioning.

Tier 3 interventions involve intensiveindividualized strategies that are implementedfor extended periods of time and frequentlyinvolve community agencies Data from tier 3interventions may indicate the need to considereligibility for special education services

In summary, school social workers not onlyprovide direct services to children who requirebasic needs or exhibit challenging behavior, butalso lead prevention efforts that support childrenthrough building the capacity of family

members, other school staff, and communityagencies to improve student outcomes

Goals of the Standards

These standards were developed to broadlydefine the scope of services that school socialworkers shall provide, that school administratorsshould support, and that students and families

should expect The standards are designed toenhance awareness of the skills, knowledge,values, methods, and sensitivity school socialworkers need to work effectively withinschool systems.

Ideally, these standards will stimulate thedevelopment of clear guidelines, goals, andobjectives related to school social workservices in social work practice, research,policy, and education

The specific goals of the standards are

䡲 to establish expectations for school socialwork practices and services;

䡲 to ensure that school social work services are

guided by the NASW Code of Ethics;

䡲 to ensure the highest quality of school socialwork services will be provided to studentsand families;

䡲 to provide a basis for advocating for clients’

rights to be treated with respect and dignity,confidentiality, access to supportive services,and appropriate inclusion in decision making;

䡲 to provide a basis for the preparation ofschool social workers and the development ofcontinuing education materials and programsrelated to school social work services; and

䡲 to encourage school social workers toparticipate in the development andrefinement of public policy, at the local, state,and federal levels, to support school success

Standa

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Standard 1 Ethics and Values

School social workers shall adhere to the ethicsand values of the social work profession and

shall use the NASW Code of Ethics as a guide to

ethical decision making, while understandingthe unique aspects of school social work practiceand the needs of the students, parents, andcommunities they serve

Interpretation

School social workers shall demonstrate corevalues of service, social justice, dignity andworth of the person, importance of humanrelationships, integrity, and competence Inaddition, school social workers shall adhere

to the professional ethical responsibilities

delineated in the NASW Code of Ethics.

School social workers shall have knowledge

of and comply with local, state, and federalmandates related to informed consent, privacyand confidentiality, and access to records withinthe context of legal and ethical rights of minorsand parents Students, families, and otherprofessionals shall be informed of the limits

of confidentiality when services are initiated

Employers and school administrators should

be informed of the ethical responsibilities ofthe social work profession In the event thatconflicts arise among competing expectations,school social workers are directed to the

NASW Code of Ethics as a tool in their

decision making

Standard 2 Qualifications

School social workers shall meet the provisionsfor professional practice set by NASW and theirrespective state department of education andpossess knowledge and understanding basic tothe social work profession as well as the localeducation system

understanding of education systems, whichshould be provided by social work educationprograms The school social worker shallactively seek this specialized training when theCSWE accredited program does not provide it

School social workers shall be licensed by stateboards of social work and certified through statedepartments of education when available

School social workers shall have specializedknowledge and an understanding of historicaland current perspectives of public schooleducation at the local, state, and national levels,including educational reform and legislation

School social workers shall also beknowledgeable about evidence-informedapproaches to teaching and learning thatpromote positive academic outcomes forall students

A

School social workers shall conduct assessments

of individuals, families and systems/organizations(namely, classroom, school, neighborhood,district, state) with the goal of improvingstudent social, emotional, behavioral, andacademic outcomes

Interpretation

School social workers shall possess skills insystematic assessment, data gathering, andinterpretation at multiple levels using a variety

of methods (for example, interview, directobservation, standardized instruments, surveys,focus groups) to assess the needs, characteristics,and interactions of students, families, and schoolpersonnel School social workers shall conductreliable and valid assessments of students andorganizations to inform the design ofinterventions to remove barriers to learning

Assessments shall use ecological perspectivesand functional approaches to enhanceunderstanding of barriers to learning and theinterventions that foster improvement of studentwell-being and academic progress

Standard 4 Intervention

School social workers shall understand anduse evidence-informed practices in theirinterventions

Interpretation

School social workers shall remain current withschool-based intervention research and useevidence-informed practices in service delivery

Interventions shall be designed to enhancepositive educational experiences and involve thestudent, the family, other team members, schoolpersonnel, and community resources as

appropriate Interventions shall be based onassessments relevant to the concerns in thereferral and include goals, objectives, methods ofevaluation, and outcome criteria Interventionsshall be applied within the multitier frameworkand address the ecologies (for example, home,school, community) most relevant to theproblem being addressed

Standard 5 Decision Making and Practice Evaluation

School social workers shall use data to guideservice delivery and to evaluate their practiceregularly to improve and expand services

Interpretation

School social workers shall collect, analyze,synthesize, and disseminate data related to theirpractice School social workers shall conductongoing evaluation to determine the level ofeffectiveness of all interventions Methods used

to evaluate social work practice shall be assessedperiodically to ensure that objectives, activities,and measured outcomes are aligned with thelocal education agency’s goals and social workethical practice

Standard 6 Record Keeping

School social workers shall maintain accuratedata and records that are relevant to planning,implementation, and evaluation of school socialwork services

Interpretation

School social workers shall maintain timely,accurate, and confidential records thatdocument school social work services,demonstrate outcomes, and promoteaccountability to the local education agency

and community Records shall be maintainedaccording to federal, state, and local laws.

Standard 7 Workload Management

School social workers shall organize theirworkloads to fulfill their responsibilities andclarify their critical roles within the educationalmission of the school or district in whichthey work

Interpretation

School social workers shall manage their work

in an efficient and effective manner Prioritiesfor practice shall be developed collaborativelybetween the school social worker and thesupervisor Priorities shall be established on thebasis of the needs of students, professional skills

of the school social worker, program needs,research, and availability of other resources

School social workers shall perform roles andresponsibilities across a multitier framework forservice delivery and use technology to enhancecommunication, obtain and organize

information, demonstrate accountability, andcomplete workload assignments

Standard 8 Professional Development

School social workers shall pursue continuousenhancement of knowledge and skills toprovide the most current, beneficial, andculturally appropriate services to studentsand their families

Interpretation

School social workers shall adhere to the

NASW Standards for Continuing Professional Education and follow state professional

regulation regarding continuing educationrequirements School social workers shall access