While the whole month of March is designated as Social Work Month, there is a week during that time that focuses specifically on the contributions made by school social workers.
The theme for National School Social Work Week 2023 (March 5-11) was “We Rise” because it truly is what school social workers do for school districts on a daily basis: they rise to support their students, their families and their school communities.
Elaine Swain, director of student and family support for Berkeley County School District, added that the term goes well beyond that – it is really about raising others up.
“We’re just here to help,” Swain said. “We’re not here to harm, we’re not here to punish; we’re here to collaborate to really serve that student and family.”
Each school in the district is assigned a social worker – there are 14 social workers who assist 47 schools across Berkeley County School District. School social workers do a lot to remove barriers to academic success.
At times there is a very negative connotation behind the term “social worker.” The stigma they most often deal with is that families believe a social worker’s job is to come to people’s houses and take their kids away and that is not true.
Upon referral, BCSD’s school social workers provide students and families with access to basic needs such as clothing, food, financial assistance, mental health services and medical services. Much of the work school social workers do is behind the scenes or confidential in nature and is always approached with the intent of recognizing the strengths and potential of the children and families served.
Social workers can:
- Collaborate with multi-disciplinary teams
- Participate in crisis intervention and response
- Conduct home visits
- Facilitate conflict resolution
- Conduct group counseling
- Consult with teachers and counselors
- Dropout prevention
- Coordinate school and community services
- Facilitate staff development on federal and state statutes
School social workers are the only school professionals that routinely make home visits, but their purpose is to connect the students and families to their schools. The district also has a truancy accountability collaboration that is led by the social workers – but again, it is about connectivity and removing barriers to help set students up for success and make sure they come to school.
The goal behind the added support is to get families to a place where they no longer need help from a social worker.
“We’re solution-focused, so we want to see the endgame in students,” Swain said.
It is not always just about supporting students; teachers can also access social workers. For example, following the return to school at the start of the 2020-2021 school year in the midst of the pandemic, social workers were vital in helping restore order within classrooms. They will still work with teachers to help improve the culture within their classrooms if need be.
Swain said social workers are very focused on relationship-building within classrooms.
“In order for teaching and learning to happen, you’ve got to have strong relationships,” she said.
BCSD’s social workers will look to community agencies to help bridge the gaps in services that their programs cannot fill. For example, when social workers are looking for ways to support a student who is experiencing poverty, BCSD’s social workers will look to churches and other agencies to provide that assistance in areas such as stress management tools and school supplies.
BCSD has a clothing closet and school supply closet that residents can donate new and clean clothes and school supply items for students who are experiencing poverty or loss in their family. Residents can bring such items to BCSD’s Academics and Innovation building, located at 229 E Main St. in Moncks Corner; mark items with “student and family support.”
Residents can also support students in need by providing hot meals during spring break through the aid of gift cards to local restaurants. Those gift cards can be donated to the same location, BCSD's Academics and Innovation building.
Social workers also continue to work in the summer. If a family needs help from a district social worker, they can still call for assistance.
BCSD’s social workers are also constantly educating themselves on new ways to support students. When they gathered at the Wampee Conference Center in Pinopolis earlier this month to celebrate Social Work Month, they heard from guest speakers who touched on trauma-informed education, improving school climate through relationship-building, and training on creating safe and drug-free schools.
Swain really wants to remove the stigma behind social workers so others will understand how crucial their role is in schools.
“Together, when we collaborate, and everyone works on the same team, we can raise that student up to a more successful life,” Swain said.