Top 10 Reasons for Being a Social Worker
10. Help people
9. Do what counts
8. Practice your principles
7. Foster success stories
6. Match wits with life's challenges
5. Change the future
4. Make the world a better place
3. Satisfaction guaranteed
2. World-class peers
1. Career of CHAMPIONS!
From the National Association of Social Workers
School Social Services Procedures Manual
Forward
The practice of school social work has existed in the State of Florida since approximately 1919 when the Florida Legislature created the position of "attendance officer." The attendance officer position was created in response to the recognition that there was a need to have district level employees to enforce the compulsory school attendance law. The newly created position of attendance officer was initially used exclusively for the purpose of enforcing the compulsory school attendance law; however, it soon became evident that we could not improve attendance without dealing with the underlying issues that all too often hinder a child's ability to attend school regularly. With this knowledge, the role of the attendance officer soon began to evolve into one in which social issues were addressed and more emphasis was placed on resolving those issues. What began as an attendance officer with emphasis on corralling truant students has now become a social worker whose goal is to work with the entire family in an effort to resolve those issues that lead to truant behavior and other factors interfering with school success. Resolving such issues requires knowledge, expertise, commitment, and guidelines that set a standard for professional growth, behavior, and conduct.
The Volusia County School Social Services Procedures Manual has been developed as a means of providing guidance to those professionals who have been charged with the responsibility of working with our most vulnerable students. These guidelines are deeply rooted in the standards and code of ethics set forth by the National Association of Social Workers (NASW), the Florida Association of School Social Workers (FASSW), the district goals set by the Volusia County School District, and by the values and beliefs of our past and current school social workers and department leaders.
Acknowledgments
Special thanks to the following staff members who gave of their time in making and revising this manual:
Martha Aldrich (retired) Susan Kicklighter (retired)
Jean Barnes (former staff member) Jamie Majors
Pamela Beckles Burner Roberts
Louise Booth (retired) Jeanette Simowski (retired)
Dr. Benita T. Brown (retired) Judy Soto (retired)
Melissa Burke Hazel Stewart (retired)
Lissette Fernandez-Medina Kerri Thompson
Gerald Kersenbrock (retired) Pam Woods
Francene Barnes, Project Chair (retired) Dianne Martin-Morgan, Co-Chair
Dr. Mev Waskiewicz, School Social Services Coordinator (1987-2005) (retired)
Dianne Martin-Morgan, School Social Services Coordinator (2005-present)
An extra measure of thanks goes to Hazel Stewart, Jamie Majors, and Dianne Martin-Morgan who spent countless hours of their personal time putting this manual together.
Compiled by the Volusia County School Social Workers
October 17, 2003 Updated August 2016
Chapters
3-School Social Services
4-Job Description
5-Safety Issues
6-Record Management
7-Social Work Referrals
8-Problem Solving Team
9-Social and Developmental History
10-Exceptional Student Education
11-School Enrollment and Registration
12-Attendance
13-Pediculosis Control
14-Driver License
15-Learnfare Program
16-Case Management Services
17-McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Act
18-Home Education
19-Supported Programs - Services
20-Child Abuse
21-Baker Act