The Development of a National School Social Work Practice Model

School social workers have been providing services to remove barriers to learning that impede children's ability to access and benefit from education for over a century (Constable, 2009). Yet the ability of school social work professions to articulate and fulfill a common mission has remained elusive; there is a critical need for a model of school social work to assist advocacy, practice, and research efforts related to the promotion, practice, and evaluation of school social work. This editorial provides a rationale for the creation of a national school social work model, followed by an initial conceptualization of a model and recent and future steps to refine the model using an iterative process. Dupper (2003) has suggested that in the absence of clearly articulated role and capabilities, school social workers are vulnerable to being underappreciated and poorly understood by school personnel and policymakers. In a similar manner, Garrett (2006) and Goren (2002) have urged school social workers to improve their visibility, viability, and value. Others (for example, Altshuler & Webb, 2009; Constable, 2009; Franklin & Harris, 2007; Tower, 2000) have pointed to the need for more clearly defined role expectations, educational requirements, professional competencies, and certification standards among school psychologists and school counselors as evidence of our discipline's lack of coherence. School counselors and school psychologists have recently forwarded national models to unite their prospective professions and to guide education, advocacy, and practice efforts. Altshuler and Webb (2009) recommend that NASW, the School Social Work Association of America (SSWAA), and the Council for Social Work Education jointly develop an advocacy effort for school social workers.