What is the Role of School Social Workers?

I have the best job in the world. 

As a school social worker, I have the unique privilege of supporting students, families, and school staff outside of traditional academic, classroom interventions. Unfortunately, not every district has access to a school social worker, but the ones that do benefit from our relational, strengths-based, compassionate care for the entire school community - not just the students assigned to our caseloads!

I love working in schools because they provide equitable access and opportunity. As a mental health professional, I’m all too familiar with the barriers that prevent young people from accessing care - long waitlists, limited finances, restrictive insurance policies, lack of time, stigma, fear of judgment, etc. By offering support services on campus, students and families can bypass some of these obstacles and connect directly with a trained clinician, whether for 1:1 counseling, case management, or even resource referrals. We serve as the link between the student and the family, the family and the school, and the school and the outpatient provider (think psychiatrists, child welfare workers, and medical doctors, to name just a few). Ultimately, the job is about connecting with people and meeting them right where they are, without judgment. 

My day might include a few half-hour therapy sessions with students dealing with anxiety or depression, phone calls to local counseling agencies to determine their availability, a meeting with a teacher or IEP team regarding the access needs of a struggling student, and a social skills group. Because social workers, at our core, are advocates, my goal is to load my students up with so many skills and resources that they no longer need me. I’d love to work myself out of a job one day!

WORKING AS A TEAM

School social workers are fortunate to work closely with other school staff, including teachers and administrators. In my experience, however, most of our collaboration is with school counselors. 

While school social workers are mental health professions first, our school counselor colleagues are educators first. They hold counseling degrees and tend to be the first line of defense against barriers to student success and well-being. In most Washington public high schools, students are assigned one counselor for the duration of their high school career, allowing counselors to develop close relationships with the students on their caseloads. According to the Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Education, school counselors are critical in “maximizing student achievement, supporting a safe learning environment, and addressing the needs of all students through prevention and intervention programs.” Unlike school social workers, whose primary focus is mental health, school counselors play a key role in developing academic interventions - so if you have a question about class schedules or graduation requirements, pay your school counselor a visit! 

Each school has a unique process to ensure students receive the care they need, but as a general rule of thumb, check in with your school counselor first - depending on the concern, they can support you directly or refer you to the school social worker or other mental health clinician. Of course, if you are experiencing a crisis, reach out to any safe adult on campus. There is zero shame in asking for help, and every single staff member should have the tools to support you in the moment before ensuring that you are connected with appropriate next steps. 

Uniquely, school social workers are ethically bound to confidentiality. That means when you confide in one of us, we are legally obligated to protect your privacy.* I like to think that alleviates some of the anxiety around meeting with me! I tell my students that my office is a safe place for them to show up fully - there is no need for fear or shame. They simply need to come as their authentic selves for us to begin our work. 

Sometimes students need me to mediate conflict between themselves and a peer or family member. Sometimes I’m asked to compile housing or food resources. Sometimes I support students whose anxiety or trauma prevents them from attending school regularly. Sometimes we meet in my office, and sometimes we “walk-and-talk” and bring the therapy to the football field or track. Regardless, it is a gift to bear witness to the progress my students make and to their courage and vulnerability. 

Ann Voskamp writes that “shame dies when stories are told in safe places.” So many young people are longing to find that safe place and are unaware that there is support available for them in their neighborhood’s school. It’s worth an ask to see which services are available in your community. 

There are some limits to confidentiality. Your school social worker may need to discuss aspects of your meeting with another adult if you disclose your intention to harm yourself or someone else, if you disclose that you have been abused, or if you disclose that another minor is the victim of abuse. 

To learn more:

School Social Worker: https://www.sswaa.org/school-social-work 

School Counselors: https://www.k12.wa.us/certification/educational-staff-associate-esa-certificates/school-counselor-certification

National Association of Social Workers Code of Ethics: https://www.socialworkers.org/About/Ethics/Code-of-Ethics

By: Rachel Kappes MSW, LSWAIC, ESA School Social Worker