Social Workers

WHO are School Social Workers?

School Social Workers are trained mental health professionals with a degree in social work and a license through the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. School Social Workers are the link between the home, school and community in providing direct as well as indirect services to students, families, and school personnel to promote and support students’ academic and social success.

WHY do schools need a School Social Worker?

It is the mission of Buncombe County Schools to ensure the academic success of every student. In order to succeed in school, some students require additional support to meet their individual social, academic, behavioral, medical, and/or emotional needs. School Social Workers are trained to assess and address the needs of students who may be experiencing barriers to academic success.

WHAT are some of the specific services that School Social Workers provide?

Helping Students

  • Develop life skills necessary to be successful in a 21st century global society;

  • Assess, identify and address social, emotional, behavioral, and academic needs;

  • Develop intervention strategies to increase academic success; and

  • Provide crisis intervention.

 Helping Families

  • Participate effectively in their children’s education;

  • Access school and community resources;

  • Understand educational and developmental needs of the child;

  • Strengthen parenting skills; and

  • Navigate and understand school procedures and policies.

Helping Schools

  • Create and maintain a positive and safe school climate;

  • Meet educational goals of students from diverse backgrounds;

  • Understand how students are impacted by cultural, economic and other factors;

  • Identify students’ unmet needs;

  •  Work effectively with parents; and

  • Implement procedures that address school safety, attendance, crisis response, and child abuse & neglect.

Helping the Community

  • Identify and develop appropriate resources to adequately meet the needs of students and families;

  • Facilitate and participate on multi-disciplinary teams;

  • Coordinate the delivery of educational, socio-economic, and health services;

  • Participate in evaluating the effectiveness of programs in the schools and community; and

  • Advocate for programs and procedures in the community that meet the needs of students and families.

This information was adapted from the School Social Worker Association of America at www.sswaa.org and the North Carolina School Social Worker Association of America (NCSSWA) at www.ncsswa.org.

To contact the School Social Worker at your child's school, please call the school for more information.