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ERIC Number: EJ988413
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2012-Oct
Pages: 10
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1532-8759
EISSN: N/A
Managing School Social Work Records
Garrett, Kendra J.
Children & Schools, v34 n4 p239-248 Oct 2012
This article documents results of a survey of 73 school social workers regarding their record-keeping practices. These social workers indicated that time pressures are a major challenge to documentation; they struggle to know what to include, and they worry about privacy. More than half fail to consistently include assessment information, progress toward goals, and information on services provided. More than 75 percent do not provide periodic and closing case summaries, pre- and post-test scores, and information on how they have made decisions. Some 80 percent of respondents were in violation of Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act requirements to share records with parents or guardians who request them, and only half were aware of their district's policies on sharing information with third parties. There was widespread misunderstanding of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, and half of the respondents were unaware of their state laws regarding record keeping. These findings are concerning, as school social workers who are not informed of legal mandates may be putting themselves and their districts at some liability risk, and those who do not keep records with sufficient information to reflect on their practice may be missing opportunities to improve their work with student clients.
Oxford University Press. Great Clarendon Street, Oxford, OX2 6DP, UK. Tel: +44-1865-353907; Fax: +44-1865-353485; e-mail: jnls.cust.serv@oxfordjournals.org; Web site: http://cs.oxfordjournals.org
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Elementary Secondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Laws, Policies, & Programs: Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act 1974; Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act 1996
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A