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Drawing on primary documents, we examine the visiting teacher movement (VTM; ca. 1906–40), focusing on three questions: (1) What lessons from the VTM challenge the social and political aims of education in our historical moment? (2) What are lessons for redefining school social work practice today? and (3) What lessons can today’s school social workers use to organize for more expansive views of their practice? We argue the VTM challenged educational bureaucracy by creating blended roles across professions and bridging boundaries between home and school. Although visiting teachers’ work stood in contrast to the factory model of schooling, they had the ear of high-ranking educators across the country. Their vision for the work that was needed, well-organized channels of communication, and networks of support positioned them as a counterweight to contemporaneous views. Their example is a model for reimagining social work, the school space, and the state apparatus In the city of which I am a representative, many of the visiting teachers are on either the paid or volunteer staff of the settlement adjacent to the school where they work. The teacher knows her neighborhood and is chosen for that knowledge. She knows not only the traditions of her children but their national traditions and family advantages. This knowledge she brings to the teacher. . . . So often the making of Americans in our public schools means crushing out what they bring to us in order to make them into a supposed American model. This kind of “education” would be blotted out if every elementary school teacher had an intelligent knowledge of the national history of her children. (Jane McCoady [1916], head worker, Ellis Memorial and Eldredge House, “The Visiting Teacher and the Settlement”)

Across the globe, social workers serve schools in a variety of capacities, providing services such as skills training; individual, group, and family counseling; crisis intervention; home visits; parent support and education; and advocacy for students, families, and school systems. To date, no synthesis of the literature exists examining tier 1 and tier 2 cross-national school-based social work interventions. Therefore, the purpose of this systematic review was twofold: (1) to identify tier 1 and tier 2 school-based interventions that involve social workers and (2) to examine the extent to which the interventions are efficacious with school-based youths. A computerized search with inclusion and exclusion criteria was conducted using several databases. Eighteen studies were included for the final sample in this review. Effect sizes were calculated for all outcomes to determine magnitude of treatment effect. Results indicated that most of the studies were conducted in the United States (n = 14) and half (n = 9) of the included interventions were tier 1. Many positive effect sizes were found. Interventions aimed to treat a variety of outcomes such as sexual health, aggression, self-esteem, school attendance, identity, and depression. More research is needed to determine the effectiveness of school-based social work worldwide.

Grandparent-headed families have multifaceted needs and complicated family contexts. These nontraditional families frequently have strained relationships with their grandchildren's school systems, but there are scarce models providing effective strategies for working with them. The author used multidisciplinary theoretical literature and research outcomes to propose a model for working with grandparent-headed families in schools. First, unique needs, risk factors, and school barriers these grandparent-headed families experience are put forward. In addition, school professionals' needs for practice guidelines for their work with grandparent-headed families are described. A model for working with grandparent-headed families is proposed, built on four theories: symbolic interactionism, attachment theory, role theory, and the strengths-based approach. Implications for teaching, practice, and programming for grandparent-headed families in schools are presented.

This book provides readers with direction on how to organize psychoeducational groups while also helping them enhance skills for effectively leading such groups--all in one comprehensive volume! Offering an applied, pragmatic approach, author Janice L. DeLucia-Waack uniquely integrates research and practice to suggest valuable leadership strategies while addressing special issues such as children of divorce, anger management, bullying behaviors, and much more.

This article discusses social work practice areas for civilian social workers who provide services to military service members, veterans, and their families. These practice areas include education, child welfare, domestic violence, mental health, health care, substance abuse, and criminal justice. The authors examine the impact of the contemporary military lifestyle and current military operations on service members and their families in the context of these practice areas, with the goal of compelling civilian social workers to acknowledge their responsibility to competently serve military and veteran clients.

School social workers and other school personnel can find meeting the educational and social needs of immigrant children a challenge, particularly if these children are also experiencing poverty and other educational barriers, including limited English language proficiency. Quality after-school programming has been associated with a variety of positive effects such as increased educational attainment and positive social and emotional development and could, therefore, prove significant in the lives of immigrant children. Yet, immigrant children participate less. The purpose of this article is to discuss ways in which school social workers can increase enrollment in after-school programming among immigrant children, six to 12 years of age, by becoming both advocates for children and families and leaders in developing and maintaining these services. School social workers are poised to play a number of roles related to practice, administration, research, and policy. Because this particular age group of children begins to look beyond the family for guidance and support, middle childhood is an opportune time for school social workers to work toward involving children in positive after-school experiences.