The agency gets referrals based on school referrals from teachers, staff, community, walk in- for self help, other social workers, family members, and any concerned citizen.

The main office is located on the Westside Fresno Office, and the social workers for K6 have an additional office at their assigned school. The assigned school for me is Viking Elementary.

All supervisors of the social workers are located at the Westside Fresno Office.

The only time that the social worker leaves the school site office is if a visit and county car checkout needs to be made.

If there is a referral that has to be investigated then the social worker will go out to homes, other schools to interview the siblings, family members, etc.

The Principal, teachers, and school staff all work very closely with the social worker on site.

In K-Six the whole community is involved. All the neighborhoods who have concerns, family, friends, teachers, other students, school staff, department of DSS staff, and the clients themselves.

The community as a whole plays a huge role because referrals for school social workers comes from within the school. It is important for the social worker to be at the school at all times possible because sometimes there are crisis events that come into play during school hours with a family and the students.

There are meetings that are held that include Principal, teachers, social worker, families, and other staff and family members that are concerned.

The targeted population is the students who attend the school that the assigned social worker is at.

All students are welcomed to talk and discuss anything regarding any issues that are bothering them.

All parents, guardians, school staff, and other family members are also welcomed to talk with the social worker.

It doesn’t have to be an emergency, the social worker is there to help students and families when they need assistance.

Most of the time students are having issues with focuses in class because of something going on at home. This distracts their focusing and in turn usually it is revealed that there is a legit reason that the student is struggling.

The school is in a less appealing neighborhood. The neighborhood is located around Edison High School. Many families fall under the low income range, and don’t have a lot of money to pay for certain services so it helps to have a social worker at the school who can make referrals and/or give them the support and information they need.

There is a lot or graffiti around the school, many teenagers walk the neighborhoods and ditch class, the homes are older and look a little run down, many families walk their children to school because lack of transportation.

Most families that are in this neighborhood/school have only one parent households.

The goal of the agency is to help the families/students of the school stay on track. It is important for the students to graduate from 6th grade. It is equally important to make sure the adults in the household have resources to provide a safe, nurturing, and helpful environment to achieve the goal for the students.

To lead an integrated network of community partners that supports, protects and strengthens children and families.

To promote a system of best practice in partnership with the community, committed to prevention and early intervention, that ensures child safety, permanence and stability, family well-being, that is proactive, strategic, outcomes-based and fiscally responsible to the children and families served.

To fulfill this mission, County of Fresno employees and community partners provide assessment, intervention, prevention, placement and mental health treatment services for infants, children, youth and families of Fresno County.

Once a family is determined to be in the need of help there are many resources the agency practices.

Referrals can be made to some resources depending on the situation.

There is counseling for families- within counseling there are many different counseling options, such as; Domestic Violence, drug treatment, personal/emotional counseling.

To be determined by social workers, and families.

Child care resources for working or going to school parents, legal services, food and clothing, housing, medical information, parenting resources, law enforcement, transportation, and all these the agency can assist the clients with and the agency may not directly be able to provide these but appropriate referrals are made to ensure families get what is needed.

If the social worker determines there is a case for neglect/abuse then an investigation is opened to determine what actions need to be made. In some cases children are removed from their homes and other times it is determined an intangible circumstance and resources are provided.

Social justice for this agency depends on the circumstances. However, protecting the children is the justice. Children are the priority and sometimes helping the family as a whole can provide social justice to the children.

Social work values are to respect the families, don’t judge them, give them resources to help themselves!1 EMPOWERMENT!!

Human rights are important and knowing what those are keep our society going. We all have them! Human rights in social work are giving options, giving opportunity, allowing a fair case, looking at all options without judging, giving families information, letting families know the policy, the procedures, and actions that may be placed.

Everyone deserves to be giving the option to better themselves without stereotyping.

If the client feels they are not being treated fair they do have a right to file a complaint. The case can go to court to determine what action will be place.

The families/clients also have the right to have an interpreter if needed.