School Social Work Practice Tools

NASW is developing a task force for the revision of the 2013 Guidelines for Social Work Safety in the Workplace. The guidelines were created to establish safety measures and protocols for social workers within the workplace. Social workers utilize these guidelines as a resource to help create, develop, and assist communities, private and public agencies, local, state, and federal policymakers to create a safe working environment in areas where social workers are employed.

The spread and danger of COVID-19 prompted Pre K-12 schools to close unexpectedly during the Spring of 2020.

The opening of the 2020-2021 school year is different from previous school years due to COVID-19. School social workers will need to be skillful with the flexibility to provide services to students, parents, and staff in-person or remotely. The following resources from NASW and the School Social Work Association of America (SSWAA) provide additional supports as you prepare for the 2020-2021 school year.

During the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, we firmly believe that the to return to in-person instruction in our nation’s schools must be guided by reliable local public health data, and it must consider the needs of students, families, and staff.

During the COVID-19 public health emergency, school social workers are essential staff and continue to play a vital role in ensuring that students continue to receive much-needed mental health, education and other services despite school disruptions from the pandemic.

School violence and bullying may affect a student’s physical, mental and social wellbeing.