At-Risk Students

My name is Patricia and I am a Social Worker. I am pleased to be addressing other Social Workers that have the same concerns as I do. The purpose of this presentation is to discuss and decide what is the role of a Social Worker with at-risk students and when should a Social Worker intervene?

There are many indicators of youth at-risk.

• I will identify eight of those indicators:
• Alcohol and other drug use.
• Students with learning disabilities.
• Dysfunctional families
• Youth crime and violence
• Hunger
• Homelessnes
• Health and mental health problems
• Poverty

These Students are among Us!

Short and Long-Term Implications of At-Risk

• Children living in poverty are at greater risk of behavioral and emotional problems.(apa.org)
• Schooling for homelessness children is often interrupted and delayed., with homeless children twice as likely to have a learning disability, repeat a grade or to be suspended from school.(apa.org)
• School-age children who experience severe hunger are at increased risk for the following negative outcomes: homelessness, chronic health conditions, stressful like conditions, psychiatric distress, behavioral problems and Internalizing behavior, including depression, anxiety, withdrawal and poor self-esteem.(apa.org)

At-risk youth are often identified after running away, skipping school, drinking under age, engaging in sexual behavior, displaying disruptive behavior, bullying/harassment, fighting and committing acts of vandalism.(schoolengagement.org)

Solutions/

• Schools create activities/sports/clubs and organizations programs that every student is able to participate in.
• Schools create academic related events such as science fairs, spelling bee, etc. that students can join and compete in.
• Schools create after-school events, parties, proms and social events to allow each students have that experience of socialization.
• Youth should have multiple opportunities and choices in their educational future.(schoolengagement.org)
• A successful program in the school that involve everyone is their annual Field Day program. The entire school staff, the parents and the community participate in this activity.
• Another successful program in my school district is the (INOK) It's Not OK. This is a program to discourage any negative behavior such as gang, bullying, drug abuse, etc.

Participant Activity
The participants will divide into groups of four and given a scenerio of an at-risk student problem. They will develop a short-term solution and a long-term solution. Also an the participants will be give a chance to evaluate the presentation.

References

• schoolengagement.org
• apa.org
• Ormrod, J.,(2014) Students with Learning Disabilities