WHAT IS A HOME AND SCHOOL VISITOR (HSV)/SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKER (SSW)?

Home and School Visitors (HSV) and School Social Workers (SSW) in RTMSD are licensed and certified professionals who provide a variety of services to students, families, schools, and the community.  Working with other school staff and outside agencies, the HSV or SSW intervenes to identify and eliminate barriers to students’ academic achievement and their healthy social-emotional development.  Home and school visitors and school social workers provide both direct and indirect services to help students achieve maximum benefit from educational experiences.  In other school districts, the HSV and SSW may have different roles. 

SUMMARY OF HSV/SSW RESPONSIBILITIES 

• School district liaison to homeless students and their families
• Provide support to families experiencing difficulty with student school attendance
• Enforce the attendance laws of the Commonwealth of PA
• Link families to community agencies and social service providers
• School district liaison to Child Protective Services concerning reports of suspected child abuse and neglect
• Provide support to students, families and schools in crisis situations
• Conduct investigations to ensure that students reside within the Rose Tree Media School District boundaries

HOW THE HSV/SSW HELPS STUDENTS

• Enhance communication among students, families, and schools
• Work with students to improve their attendance and performance
• Assist students experiencing homelessness or living in foster care to eliminate barriers to their education
• Identify and connect students to tutorial, enrichment, and after-school programs
• Provide individual student and family interventions, including home visits
• Teach conflict resolution, problem-solving, and decision-making skills
• Provide crisis intervention support
• Locate mentoring and recreational resources for students
• Consult with interagency partners to determine ways to help meet students’ needs

HOW THE HSV/SSW HELPS FAMILIES

• Assist parents/guardians in their role as partners in their children’s education
• Promote positive working relationships between parents/guardians and the school staff
• Help improve their child’s school attendance including home visits
• Assist with crisis management
• Community outreach and resource development
• Links families with available community resources