School Social Worker

School Social Worker

The School Social Worker provides comprehensive, student-centered social work services to address social, emotional, behavioral, academic, and environmental barriers that may interfere with student achievement, school attendance, and overall well-being. The School Social Worker promotes equitable access to educational opportunities by identifying student and family needs, providing interventions, facilitating access to community resources, and collaborating with school personnel, families, and community agencies.

School social work duties include social and developmental assessments, individual and group counseling, crisis intervention and prevention, attendance interventions, family engagement, case management, advocacy, home visits, and referrals to appropriate support services. The School Social Worker promotes culturally responsive practices, positive school climates, student safety, and supportive relationships among students, families, schools, and communities.

In addition to the regular duties and responsibilities of the School Social Worker, the employee shall serve as the district-designated McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Liaison. In this additional capacity, the employee coordinates district wide efforts to identify, enroll, and support children and youth experiencing homelessness in accordance with the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act and applicable federal and state requirements. The Liaison facilitates access to educational opportunities and support services, coordinates school stability and transportation efforts, supports dispute resolution procedures, and collaborates with school personnel and community agencies to remove barriers to enrollment, attendance, and academic success.

The McKinney-Vento Liaison assignment is an additional responsibility and does not replace, diminish, or eliminate the employee's regular school social work responsibilities. The employee is expected to fulfill both functions in accordance with district priorities, applicable law, and assigned work responsibilities.

• Master's degree in Social Work from an accredited program.
• Appropriate North Carolina licensure or certification required for the position, consistent with applicable North Carolina law and North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI) requirements.
• Demonstrated experience working with children, families in crisis, and at-risk or underserved populations.
• Knowledge of social work principles, child development, family systems, community resources, and intervention practices.
• Knowledge of applicable federal and state laws, regulations, professional ethics, confidentiality requirements, and student educational rights.
• Knowledge of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act or the ability to obtain appropriate training.
• Ability to establish effective working relationships with students, families, school personnel, community agencies, and government service providers.
• Strong verbal, written, interpersonal, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to manage confidential information, coordinate multiple cases, and advocate effectively for students and families.

The employee shall perform the regular duties and responsibilities of a School Social Worker, including but not limited to the following:

• Conduct social, emotional, behavioral, and environmental assessments to identify factors affecting student attendance, academic performance, adjustment, and well-being.
• Provide individual and group counseling, crisis intervention, prevention services, and appropriate short-term support within the scope of professional practice.
• Develop, implement, and monitor intervention plans in collaboration with students, families, teachers, administrators, and other service providers.
• Identify students at risk of academic disengagement, chronic absenteeism, behavioral difficulties, neglect, abuse, or other circumstances that may impede educational progress.
• Connect students and families with appropriate school-based and community-based services.
• Support positive student behavior, conflict resolution, emotional regulation, school engagement, and social-emotional development.
• Collaborate with school administrators, teachers, attendance personnel, and support staff to identify and address barriers to regular school attendance.
• Conduct home visits, family interviews, and other outreach activities as appropriate to understand…