This article analyzes school social work's history to provide perspective on current dilemmas in social work practice and research. The authors use interstitial emergence theory, which holds that practices from overlapping fields (like social work and K-12 education) can develop into new fields, as an analytic framework. This perspective extends…

Social work is frequently missing when policy and practice conversations turn to juvenile justice system youths. However, school social workers are well positioned to have a vital role in the readmission and reentry process for these young people. Formerly incarcerated youths present unique challenges for themselves, their families, and…

Screening for suicidality, as called for by the President's New Freedom Commission on Mental Health, is a major public health concern. As a place where adolescents spend a considerable amount of their waking hours, school is an important venue for screening adolescents for suicidal behaviors and providing preventive education and risk management.…

School disciplinary policies and practices are essential features of life in U.S. schools. Conventional approaches to school discipline--including conduct codes and security methods, suspension, corporal punishment, and teachers' methods of managing student behaviors--rely primarily on deterrence, control, and punishment to maintain order.…

An awareness of the empirical knowledge concerning school violence and programs that have been supported by research is essential for the successful adaptation of school violence prevention programs. Yet, knowledge of national trends and model programs is not sufficient. School social workers must also balance the importance of research-supported…

Based on a review of intervention studies in 13 social work journals, one group of researchers organized the targets of interventions and the interventions tested in relation to them as a first step to develop practice guidelines for social workers. The authors replicated and extended that work to the specialty of school social work by reviewing…

Article uses literature that addresses lack of family diversity content in teacher training as a springboard to encourage dialogue about new ways school social workers might use their theoretical knowledge of ecological and family systems and family diversity and strengths to collaborate with schools, families, and communities. Implications for…

This study builds on two studies that explored the effect of a social skills intervention on problem behaviors displayed by elementary school children during recess. Findings conclude that social skills intervention significantly decreased problem behaviors among school children at recess. Implications for behavioral management and healthy school…

This article focuses on student-to-student harassment, discussing incidents of harassment in schools, the effects on students, and the reasons it occurs in schools. The legal framework is reviewed with attention to the new legal standard established by the Supreme Court ruling in "Davis v. Monroe County Board of Education." Discusses the…

Assesses the effects of middle school students' academic risk and out-of-home placement status on the proportion of students indicating that they received each of eight types of social support. Results indicate that students not identified as academically at-risk and in out-of-home placement reported receiving fewer types of support than any other…

Examines intervention practices for children with emotional and behavioral disorders and provides recommendations for how school social workers should use the knowledge base to inform practice. Best practices and the unique role of school social workers in supporting best practices are presented. (Contains 16 references.) (GCP)

Examines data from three sources to determine the degree of focus and level of involvement of a large child welfare agency in the educational process of children in foster care. Results indicated that in terms of knowledge, practices, and the actual maintenance of educational records, little was known of the educational progress or needs of…

The violence prevention program Connections, described in this article, represents the culmination of the efforts of several social work faculty to forge a partnership with a local school district to address students' needs to learn and feel safe at school, using known best practices, while simultaneously providing education for social work…

Investigates associations between students' perceptions of their social environment and academic outcomes. Results suggest that contextual factors influence students over and above their perceptions of their environment and demonstrate the value of considering the social context in which a students lives when choosing interventions. (Contains 36…

This article provides a rationale for school social workers to be knowledgeable about empirically validated family approaches for treatment for ADHD. The literature is reviewed and organized according to theoretical framework and developmental stage of the child. The authors critique the literature and offer suggestions for further research and…