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Welcome to the School Social Work Blog

 The School Social Worker

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Hi there and welcome to the School Social Work blog! I am in my 13th year as a school social worker in the area of special education and I'm excited to share my experiences, tips, and expertise in the area!  It has it's ups and downs just like any other job, but working with children and adults is a unique and special experience.  It can be emotionally draining and you can encounter a significant amount of secondary trauma and compassion fatigue. We are often exposed to repeated  experiences of secondary trauma whether it be death, homelessness, abuse, observing significant mental health issues, or strained family dynamics.  I am often told "I don't know how you do it". I ask myself that some days and I hope to talk about it later. On the other hand, this job has many rewards.  There are  many students who are wonderful candidates for therapy.  They're engaged, communicate openly, listen to your advise, or with guidance, are able to come to solutions on their own. Some of them even see me as a parental figure because they lack that relationship at home. Having a parent or student express their gratitude for you is one of the most rewarding aspects of the job.  

School social workers wear many hats and support staff, students, and families in any way possible.  There are so many facets of this job and I experience something new every school year.  I hope to touch on them in a way that will help guide your practice within the schools.  Along the way, I'll provide you with helpful websites and resources that I have used/use/will use in my own practice.  I hope you find this information helpful.  

My first recommendation is a book I listened to last year and am now reading titled, "The Making of a Therapist".  Because I work with primarily students receiving special education services, my main responsibility is providing therapy to students per their Individualized Education Plans or IEPs (more on this later).  When I first started in the schools my supervisor began referring to me and my coworkers as "therapists".  At first this caught me off guard.  I did not go to school for social work with intentions of becoming a therapist! But there I was, providing therapy to kids.  This book provides some really good back to basics advise, scenarios, and feedback.  I love it! I hope you enjoy it too! 

You can purchase it here or listen to the audio here .  

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