Child, Family, and School Social Workers

What Does a Child, Family, and School Social Workers Do?

Provide social services and assistance to improve the social and psychological functioning of children and their families and to maximize the family well-being and the academic functioning of children. May assist parents, arrange adoptions, and find foster homes for abandoned or abused children. In schools, they address such problems as teenage pregnancy, misbehavior, and truancy. May also advise teachers.

Day-to-Day Responsibilities

• 1Maintain case history records and prepare reports.
• 2Interview clients individually, in families, or in groups, assessing their situations, capabilities, and problems to determine what services are required to meet their needs.
• 3Serve as liaisons between students, homes, schools, family services, child guidance clinics, courts, protective services, doctors, and other contacts to help children who face problems, such as disabilities, abuse, or poverty.
• 4Develop and review service plans in consultation with clients and perform follow-ups assessing the quantity and quality of services provided.
• 5Address legal issues, such as child abuse and discipline, assisting with hearings and providing testimony to inform custody arrangements.
• 6Counsel parents with child rearing problems, interviewing the child and family to determine whether further action is required.
• 7Consult with parents, teachers, and other school personnel to determine causes of problems, such as truancy and misbehavior, and to implement solutions.
• 8Arrange for medical, psychiatric, and other tests that may disclose causes of difficulties and indicate remedial measures.

Required Skills

• Active Listening
• Speaking
• Critical Thinking
• Reading Comprehension
• Monitoring
• Writing
• EasyCBM
• Microsoft Access
• Microsoft Excel
• Microsoft Office software
• Microsoft Outlook
• Microsoft PowerPoint
• Microsoft Word
• Patient electronic medical record EMR software
• Student information systems SIS software
• Web browser software

Child, Family, and School Social Workers Salary