Creating a Better Tomorrow in Our Schools, Together

We collaborate with communities to

develop culturally responsive social services in schools

We collaborate with communities to

develop culturally responsive social services in schools

Bilingual School Social Work

School Social Workers (SSWs) work with multidisciplinary school teams to understand factors (cultural, societal, economic, familial, mental and physical health, etc.) that affect students' learning and problem-solve solutions to academic obstacles.
In collaboration, SSWs work with teachers and families to help students develop their abilities and maximize their school experience.
Utilize their goals and resources to meet students' educational, social, and emotional needs.
SSWs work to promote a safe school environment by participating in school-wide teams and supporting social-emotional learning and social skills across the school, Tier 2 interventions, and through IEP goals for students with special education plans.

Bilingual School Social Workers (SSWs) are essential school personnel because they are professionals who bring added abilities (language skills, cultural competency) to their service delivery.
As bilingual professionals, SSWs can communicate with students who do not speak English or with students' parents who do not speak English. Their bilingual speaking skills help build relationships and keep the confidentiality of the cases by not requiring translators.
In the context of globalization and immigration, bilingual SSWs are critical to connecting new immigrant families and students to the school system to facilitate learning and adjustment to the new country.
It is often the case that bilingual social workers are members of culturally and linguistically diverse communities. This personal background can enhance their cultural competence and provide a better understanding of their students' and families' contexts and challenges.

School Social Workers (SSWs) work with students to assist students in getting the most out of their education and access learning by helping them manage their emotions, build skills, and access learning.
SSWs also work with students by providing social, emotional, and mental health counseling services, which helps them understand themselves and others better and develop socio-emotional learning (SEL).
SSWs help students manage their stress, and develop the five SEL Competencies (self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making) to improve their outcomes in life.

School Social Workers (SSWs) help parents participate effectively in their children’s education.
Understand and meet their children’s social and emotional needs.
Understand programs available to students with special needs.
Utilize school and community resources effectively.

School Social Workers (SSWs) collaborate with school and district teams to minimize environmental factors inhibiting student learning.
SSWs conduct needs assessments or collaborate in the process of community assessments to determine the gap in needs and services and priority goals that should be addressed.
SSWs develop goals for students with IEP plans and support skill-building to help students reach benchmarks and goals, be more independent, and generalize skills outside the school setting for real-life application in the community
SSWs find resources and share information to adequately meet the needs of students and families.
Bilingual School Social Worker, we measure our success by the positive impact we have on the lives of our clients. We are proud to have helped countless individuals and families

Source: Illinois Association of School Social Workers (IASSW)