School Social Workers work with students and families to eliminate barriers to successful learning. They serve as a liaison or link between school, home and community.

The state funding formula for the allocation of school social workers is 1 for every 2,475 students. Chatham County has eighteen School Social Workers. Each School Social Worker serves between 3 and 4 schools. All eighteen School Social Workers have a Master's Degree in Social Work, as required by the State of Georgia.

SERVICE DELIVERY ACTIVITIES

School Social Workers consult with teachers, attend or arrange student/parent conferences, make home visits, participate in Student Support Teams (SST's) and/or Special Education eligibility meetings, conduct group work with students/parents, consult with numerous community agencies such as Department of Family & Children Services (DFCS), the Court System and Mental Health and Physical Health Providers. Additionally, School Social Workers are responsible for the enforcement of the Compulsory School Attendance Law.

School Social Workers organize food drives, develop needed resources such as coat closets or school supply closets, participate in truancy round ups, provide crisis intervention and grief counseling and coordinate and obtain eye exams for students whose families cannot afford them.

School Social Workers provide the required annual system wide training on the identification and reporting of child abuse and neglect for mandated reporters. School Social Workers also assist in the provision of services to Homeless students as required by the McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Act.