Role of a School Social Worker

The School Social Worker serves as a vital link between the home, the school, and the community. The mission of the School Social Worker is to alleviate barriers for students so they can be successful in school. School Social Workers are professionally trained and licensed by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction.

In Johnston County, School Social Workers are assigned to a cluster of three to four schools. School Social Workers make school visits on Tuesdays through Fridays; many referrals require School Social Workers to make homes visits to talk with parents about school related concerns.

School Social Workers work with students and families for many different reasons. Several of these include: attendance concerns, family dysfunction, substance abuse, child abuse/neglect, life-threatening behaviors, economic deprivation, inadequate health care and lack of understanding of school policies and procedures.

School Social Workers provide advocacy for the child or family and are a link to community resources as well. They make home visits to get parents involved in their children’s education.