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APPOQUINIMINK SCHOOL DISTRICT SOCIAL WORKERSAPPOQUINIMINK SCHOOL
DISTRICT SOCIAL WORKERSPresent
“Identifying and Serving Displaced Students
AndFamilies in a Small Suburban School
District”
November 16, 2015
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Mission Statement
The mission of Social Workers in the Appoquinimink School District is to
assist in building healthy relationships between students,
families and the school. We place great emphasis on making sure our homeless students maintain stable school placements while striving to
decrease truancy and promote positive learning experiences.
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Appoquinimink School District
Appoquinimink School District (ASD) is unlike any other school district in the State of Delaware in that professional social workers are employed to provide direct services to students and their families.
ASD comprises of a total of 16 schools:- two high schools- three middle schools- seven elementary schools- three early childhood centers- one pre-K center
The total student population is approx.
10,378. Social Workers are assigned to multiple schools within our district.
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District Social Workers’Credentials
• Jackee Wade:– BA (Industrial Psychology) Rowan University– MA (Public Administration) Wilmington University– MSW (Social Work) Delaware State University
• Eunice Woodard-Deputy:– AA (Early Childhood Education) Central State
University– BA (Psychology) Central State University– MSW (Social Work) Howard University
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District Social Workers’Credentials
• Dawn L. Hall:– BSW (Social Work) Delaware State College – MSW (Social Work) Delaware State University– M. Ed (School Counseling) Wilmington University
• Lorraine James :– BA (Psychology) Temple University– MSW (Social Work) University of Pennsylvania– LCSW (Licensed Clinical Social Worker)
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ICEBREAKER
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Program Implementation
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Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)
An agreement (MOU) exists between the Delaware (DE) Department of Education (DOE); Local Education Agencies (LEAs) and the Department of Services for Children, Youth and their Families (DSCYF); it has been jointly developed for the following purposes:
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MOU Continued • To develop a uniform process to provide children
who are in the custody of DSCYF with a school placement that is based upon the individual child’s best interest, i.e. to maintain enrollment in their school of origin or to promptly enroll them in a new school;
• To establish consistent procedures to address when children in foster care change residence resulting in a new school enrollment or the need for transportation to their school of origin;
• To enhance communication and coordination of the McKinney-Vento Act;
• To ensure that in all instances, educational and placement decisions regarding children and youth in foster care are based on the best interests of the child.
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Main Principles of the Appoquinimink School Social Work Case Management Model (consistent with the NASW Standards for Social Work Case
Management)
• Appoquinimink School District Social Workers use a case management approach in identifying and serving displaced students and families within our district.
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ASD Social Work Case Management Model Continued
• We address the social, emotional, physical, and academic needs of all identified homeless student(s).
• We also support and provide services to students in foster care. (Delaware is the only state to classify foster students as homeless).
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ASD Social Work Case Management Model Continued
• In our district, social workers provide ongoing homes visits and support to our students and families, even outside of the traditional school hours.
• We continue our involvement with students and their families regardless if they attend our assigned schools or not.
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ASD Social Work Case Management Model Continued
• This is done to provide and maintain continuity to families, avoiding the need for adjustment to a new social worker or “retelling their story” whenever the student moves on to a new school (i.e., early childhood center to elementary to middle and high school).
• We provide and facilitate access to culturally appropriate services on behalf of students and their families.
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• We engage students, and when appropriate, other members of the student’s support system (family) – in an ongoing information-gathering and decision-making process to help students identify their goals, strengths, and challenges.
• We collaborate with school personnel and student’s family in planning, implementing, and monitoring services that promote student’s strengths toward achieving overall success at school.
ASD Social Work Case Management Model Continued
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ASD Social Work Case Management Model Continued
• We advocate for the rights, decisions, strengths and needs of students and promote their access to resources, supports and services.
• We promote and maintain collaboration among school colleagues, community providers and other appropriate organizations to enhance service delivery and facilitate students’ success within school toward the ultimate goal of graduation from high school and beyond.
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ASD Social Work Case Management Model Continued
• Social Workers maintain an ongoing relationship and communication with school support staff (school counselors, nurses, administrators, etc.) regarding school interventions and determine the need for further interventions either at school, home or within the community. Referrals for social work services are made by school support staff.
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The way in which we identify our displaced students• If a new student reports
to register for school and may possibly be displaced, the enrollment secretary refers the student to the building Social Worker.
• If a student self identifies as being homeless before being enrolled, the enrollment secretary must contact their building Social Worker.
• When a DFS (Division of Family Services) worker or Foster parent comes in to register a homeless student, the enrollment secretaries must contact the building Social Worker.
• A Best Interest Meeting (BIM) is held to determine what is in the best interest of the student to attend the school of origin or the school of residence.
This process is reviewed at every training conducted bySocial Workers with enrollment secretaries.
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• We utilize the BIM to ensure student’s needs are met and to decrease multiple moves within the school year.
• BIM are held:1. Upon initial identification2. Whenever there is a move and3. At the end of the year
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ASD Social Work Referral Form
• Our form is the basic tool that we use as our needs assessment.
• It provides demographic information, current interventions and may include psychosocial history to assist us in determining how we should support and provide services to our students/families.
Appoquinimink School District Social Worker Referral Form
Attendance Drug/Alcohol Social Work Address Verification
Student Name D.O.B.
Student Address
Parent Name(s)
Phone Number (H) (W)
School Name Grade
Referring Source
Educational Classification (504, Sp Ed, ESL)
Identify Problem(s) needing to be addressed by Social Worker
Family Involvement Yes No If yes, who Any Agency Involvement Yes No If yes, list what agency/agencies and contact person(s).
Consent Release Signed Yes No (Please attach copy)
ATTENDANCE REFERRAL ONLY – PLEASE COMPLETE THIS SECTION Number of days absent to date:______________________ (Attach attendance report)
Has school personnel made contact with parent/guardian? Yes No
If yes, how Telephone Conference Mail
Reasons given for absences:
Actions taken by school personnel:
Previous referrals for attendance what actions were taken:
ALL REFERRALS (except Attendance) – PLEASE COMPLETE THIS SECTION Please describe types of intervention attempts including persons responsible for intervention and time lines in chronological order: (please attach any additional information)
Principal Signature: ___________________________________________ Date: ___________________
Social Worker’s Comments:
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• The following services are often identified for our homeless students/families:
Coordination between schools and agencies (such as DFS, Foster Home agencies)
Emergency assistance related to school attendance
Obtaining or transferring records necessary for enrollment
Assistance with participation in school programs (such as free meals)
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Services Cont.School SuppliesTransportationReferral to medical, dental, other health
services CounselingReferral to other programs and services
(such as shelters)Tutoring or other instructional supportBefore and after-school care, mentoring,
summer programs
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Services Cont.Early Childhood programsExpedited evaluationsParent education related to rights and
resources for childrenClothing to meet a school requirement
(such as cap/grown)Addressing needs related to domestic
violenceStaff Professional Development and
AwarenessOther (any services that may
not be listed)
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Multi-Systemic ApproachWe work with several community agencies to ensure that the needs of our students are met. Here are a few examples: Division of Family Services (DFS)-addresses abuse,
neglect, children in foster care), Division of Prevention and Behavioral Health-addresses mental health(DPBH), and Division Youth Rehabilitation (DYRS)-addresses juvenile delinquency
Courts/Judges (Judge Crowell), Medical Agencies (West Side Family Health) Local Churches (Connection Community Church) Community Agencies such as Neighbor House Shelters, Motels
Police (DE State Police, New Castle County Police and Middletown Police
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As you can see, our work with homeless students and families requires us to collaborate extensively with inter and intra agency personnel.
Corporal Saunders (Middletown Police) speaking to one of our homeless students.
Students who attended a Girls Rock Empowerment Conference
Holiday AssistanceWe work with our school support
teams/community agencies to identify families for holiday assistance
(Thanksgiving/Christmas)
BHEHoliday Sponsorship
District Custodian Thanksgiving Sponsorship
AHS students Thanksgiving Project
St. Joseph’sChurchAdopt-A-Family
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• The Food Closet is operated by our students in our Developmental Foundations Program (DFP) at Middletown High School.
• Food items and gift cards are donated to our Food Closet by district staff throughout the school year.
Kids First Food Closet
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CASE SCENARIO
School has just begun and there is a 6th grade student that attended 5th grade in his school of origin. He was identified as homeless in the beginning of his 4th grade year and in the beginning of his 5th grade year his father found permanent housing. In the middle of his 5th grade year the father lost his housing and his whereabouts and living arrangements were unknown. However, he continued to attend his school of origin. At the end of the school year it was difficult to locate the father therefore a Best Interest Meeting was not conducted. In the beginning of his 6th grade year the student resurfaced and attempted to enroll in a middle school (school of residence) in the feeder pattern in which he was living. An address verification was done by an assistant principal and it was reported that he did not reside at the address that was given on the registration. The father was sent back to the middle school that was in his feeder pattern based on his last known address (school of origin)Consequently, the student was late every day and the father became belligerent and continued to indicate that he did not reside at the last known address.
1. Utilizing the case management process, as the assigned school social worker what would be your next step?
2. How would you proceed in assisting this family? 3. Who would you include in this process?4. What school do you think the student should attend?5. Share your thoughts on how you believed that this case was resolved….
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Homeless Data in Appoquinimink District!
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Ismatou’s TestimonialAHS Class of 2012
Replicable Strategies for your School District!
We realize that every school district is different, but the following strategies may be replicated in your school district in working with displaced and other needy students. Partner and work closely with support staff
in your school
Maintain the same social worker throughout the student’s education within the district to ensure continuity of services to students, avoiding the need for the family to “retell their story”
Replicable Strategies for your School District!
Develop a process for identifying possible homeless families that is consistent throughout your district, (i.e., provide trainings to enrollment secretaries, administrators, and other appropriate building staff)
Utilize school and/or district resources (mentoring program, financial support)
Replicable Strategies for your School District!
“Think outside of the box” in assisting students with meeting basic needs (i.e., assistance with prom, extra-curricula activities and graduation expenses, etc.)
Embrace the “mindset” that “it takes a village to raise a child”
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“Do your little bit of good where you are; its those little bits of good
put together that overwhelm the world”
Desmond Tutu
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Q & A
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Thank You!
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Dawn L. [email protected]
Lorraine [email protected]
Jackee [email protected]
Eunice [email protected]
