The Importance of Social Services in Preschool
Throughout March, many celebrate the achievements of Women in History. March is also the month to celebrate the importance of Social Workers and the general field of Social Work/Social Services. At Children’s Day, we celebrate our accomplished professionals who perform an essential role in the health and wellbeing of our children and families and are a vital part of our school’s history.
“Social Services” is a general term that is often used to describe the different programs and services that improve the well-being of individuals, families, and in some cases, the entire community. “Social Work” is an academic discipline that prepares individuals to work in a wide variety of different settings to support people as they solve and cope with problems in their everyday lives. At Children’s Day, our Social Service Department is made up of many different disciplines that all work together to meet the needs of our children, families, and employees each day.
Social Services at CDP
As you might imagine, a social worker’s role and day-to-day responsibilities can vary widely. Here at Children’s Day Preschool, we have several professionals representing a variety of different disciplines. Two Family Workers, a Speech Therapist, an Art Therapist, a Nurse, and yes- two Social Workers, work tirelessly each day to help children cope with factors that can affect their learning. They step into the school’s building each day ready for whatever challenges lie ahead. Some days they might be helping children to improve their social skills and manage their big emotions while other days they might be helping to find extra clothes or a new winter coat for a child in need.
Our social service workers focus on providing an array of support services to involve families in their children's education and also help them achieve family and personal goals. We offer one-on-one counseling for parents in need, along with an array of relevant workshops throughout the year to promote positive parent development. Some topics are good nutrition, behavior management, deepening the connection between parent and child, promoting resilience, and encouraging self-care. Helping parents to find needed resources, learn effective parenting skills, and forge stronger connections within their families and their community are some results of which we’re very proud!
Impact of Social Workers
Social workers assist children with a variety of social, emotional, and developmental needs, empowering them with tools to become healthier, more confident, and more self-reliant. They provide a much-needed service since teachers are unable to fully address certain problems and challenging behaviors in the classroom without disruptions in learning.
Social workers can be a liaison between students, teachers, and families. Many schools have social workers that not only meet with children in school but also outside of school. Children with learning disabilities and those who have lived through traumatic experiences often benefit greatly from this flexibility. In urban areas especially, they provide counseling to troubled and struggling students in one-on-one sessions. They communicate back to teachers and families, seeking to ensure full awareness of the child’s issues and understanding of the treatment plan.
Our Team
We have very skilled social service staff here at Children’s Day Preschool. Our team consists of our Family Workers, an Art Therapist, a Speech Therapist, and our Nurse. Pictured above (left to right) are Bertha, Family Worker; Yolanda, Social Service Supervisor; Julie, Nurse, and Patricia, Family Worker.
Bertha Soriano, who started as a Teacher with CDP in 1991 and became one of our Family Workers in 2002, truly understands the difficulties that many of our families face. She talks about how essential her role is when it comes to struggling children and families. “Family workers are the link between parents and the school that ties them together.” Family workers aid in supporting children and their family during difficult situations. They help build relationships and increase coping skills. When a child has experienced a trauma, they help them become aware of their emotions and needs while guiding them towards the best path to thrive in their family life and at school. Through their consistent, excellent efforts and effective services, Bertha, along with all of our social and family workers, are helping to improve not only the Children’s Day community but the entire Passaic community.