Professional social workers play a vital role in helping school children of all ages.
Traditionally, school social workers serve as liaisons between the home, the school, and the
community. Since 1907, school social workers have collaborated with teachers and other school
personnel in advancing the purposes of education.
School social workers are an important part of the school team, possessing unique
interdisciplinary knowledge. School social workers contribute to programs designed for students
at-risk due to a variety of factors, including:
- emotional problems,
- poor self-esteem,
- child abuse and domestic violence,
- poverty and unemployment,
- suicidal behavior, drug and alcohol abuse,
- teen pregnancy and parenting,
- discrimination, and
- attendance related issues.
The School Social Work Program is designed to train school social workers and provide them with
the competencies to practice in a variety of traditional and non-traditional primary and secondary
education settings. Such competencies include assessing the needs of school children, designing and
implementing interventions, and making referrals to other professionals and agencies as needed.
The program educates master's level social work students for practice in school settings. The
program is consistent with State of Ohio regulations and professional standards developed by the
National Association of Social Workers. The program is a cooperative offering between the Mandel
School of Applied Social Sciences (MSASS) at Case Western Reserve University and the Division of
Education at Baldwin-Wallace College (B-W). Students in the program will complete the Master of
Science in Social Administration (M.S.S.A.) degree and MSASS with a concentration in Children,
Youth and Families. As part of the M.S.S.A. degree, students will complete three education courses
at Baldwin-Wallace College and a 2nd year advanced field practicum in a school setting. The
Division of Education at B-W will certify successful graduates as school social workers according
to state regulations, after completion of the course and field requirements. The pupil personnel
license in school social work is granted by the Ohio Department of Education (ODE). Requests for
licensure may only come from a school or department of education at a college or university.
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