Fresno County DSSFresno County DSSK- Six Mayfair Elementary SchoolK- Six Mayfair Elementary School

Brenda GarciaBrenda GarciaSocial work 180Social work 180

Social Justice IssuesSocial Justice Issues• Finding services for families that are

undocumented and are non English speakers

• Referring clients to agencies that can help them with

• legal issues• clothing

• food

• finding medical care for clients that do not have a doctor or insurance

Structure of the Agency Structure of the Agency • K-Six is a voluntary school based early intervention program that uses a preventative and family centered approach to serve at-risk children and their families. The core of the program is based on a collaboration between lead agency Fresno County Department of Social Services and the School.

Context of the AgencyContext of the Agency• With Fresno County DSS K-six also works with school staff. The K-six social worker provides services designed to meet the complex needs of children. The result is a program that treats the child on a personal, academic and social level.

• Staff fills out a referral to school Social worker, writes a brief description of issues that meet K-six criteria. • Example:

• Emotional issues: difficulty expressing appropriate feelings (anger, sadness, grief, happiness)

• Poor self-image• Behavioral Difficulties: Bullying, aggressiveness, defiance toward authority,

impulsivity.• Social Issues: difficulty making friends, lack of social skills, issues in the

home such as domestic violence, poor parenting skills, substance abuse, gangs

Populations-at-riskPopulations-at-risk • At-risk children are those whose academic progress is significantly challenged due to educational, economic, health, social and family circumstances which negatively impact the child.

•Include:

• Poor academic progress

• Delinquent behavior

• Disciplinary behavior

• Irregular or decreased school attendance

Low self image

Mission and AimsMission and AimsDepartment of Children and Families Services

Aims: To lead and integrate network of community partners that support, protects and strengthens children and families.Mission: 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

Mission (K-Six)Mission (K-Six)• Mission: Is to assist students and their parents in removing barriers so the children have improved academic outcomes.

Agency’s PracticesAgency’s Practices

K-Six Practices: • Case Management• Information/ Referral • Parent Support Groups• Student Social Skills Groups• Community Outreach

Terms for Fresno Unified School District To Terms for Fresno Unified School District To have a K-six Social worker have a K-six Social worker

• FUSD shall provide confidential office space, desk, access to a phone and supplies needed for normal project operation by K-Six program staff.

• FUSD shall allow staff of the K-Six Program access to children and school records, as appropriate, to facilitate the purpose of the program.

• FUSD shall provide identification and referral of children who meet the criteria for inclusion in the K-Six Program to appropriate K-Six Program staff.

• FUSD shall cooperate and support COUNTY to ensure the success of the K-Six Program and its goals.

Social Work Value Social Work Value

• Service= Social workers’ primary goal is to help people in need and to address social problems.

• Social Justice= Social workers challenge social injustice.

• Dignity and Worth of the Person= Social worker respect the inherent dignity and worth of the person.

• Importance of Human Relationships= Social workers recognize the central importance of human relationships.

• Integrity= Social workers behave in a trustworthy manner.

• Competence= Social workers practice within their areas of competence and develop and enhance their professional expertise.

HumanHuman RightsRights

• Article 2. Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status. Furthermore, no distinction shall be made on the basis of the political, jurisdictional or international status of the country or territory to which a person belongs, whether it be independent, trust, non-self-governing or under any other limitation of sovereignty. * In my agency most of the children’s parents are undocumented and we need to give them services no matter what race, color, and religion they are.

• Article 26. (1) Everyone has the right to education. Education shall be free, at least in the elementary and fundamental stages. Elementary education shall be compulsory. Technical and professional education shall be made generally available and higher education shall be equally accessible to all on the basis of merit. * My agency in collaboration with the school children have the right to have free education, to have their specific needs met like language help. If they have any type of disabilities the school must provide help for the child. Parents may ask for these services from the school and K-Six social worker can help parents in finding the resources that are needed for their child to do better in school.

References

• K-Six brochures

• The Universal Declaration of Human Rights

• The County of Fresno A Family to Family Children’s System of Care Department

• Fresno County K-Six Program Agreement with FUSD