 | ILLINOIS ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKERS |
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| Adopted by the IASSW Board of Directors on May 4, 1996 The Illinois Association of School Social Workers endorses as an essential school social work activity the conducting of the Social Developmental Study (SDS) as a vital component of the comprehensive Case Study Evaluation. The Association further confirms School Social Workers as the professionals specifically charged with this responsibility in Title 23:Illinois administrative Code 226.535(c). Federal regulations relative to P.L. 101-476, IDEA (1990) clearly state that no single procedure is to be used as a sole criterion for determining an appropriate educational program for a child. The Regulations further require the Multidisciplinary team to evaluate the child in all areas related to the suspected disability. (Federal Register, Vol. 42, No. 163 & 121a532, August 23, 1977). Professional social work education focuses on persons in their environment and school social work training provides supervised and specific practice in preparing Social Developmental Studies. Certification as a School Social Worker in Illinois requires specific training and experience in conducting Social Developmental Studies. No other discipline has that requirement. Therefore, the School Social Worker is the member of the Multidisciplinary team most qualified to prepare this vital case study component. The Social Developmental Study, preformed by a professionally trained School Social Worker, assists the Multidisciplinary team in arriving at a comprehensive picture of the child's functioning in his or her various environments. The Social Developmental Study broadens the team's understanding of the child by providing information relative to the child's cultural background, adaptive behavior, social and emotional coping skills, self-concept, family background, expectations and interaction. The Multidisciplinary team will find the Social Developmental Study essential in arriving at an accurate and non-discriminatory assessment. Incomplete or biased assessments may result in inappropriate decisions regarding eligibility, placement and/or programming decisions which may exacerbate the child's difficulties in school. In addition, school districts are liable to legal action because of inadequate or inappropriate assessment and placement decisions under these circumstances. A thorough and accurate assessment of a child's educational needs is a precursor to accurate diagnosis and planning of appropriate services for the individual child. It allows the Multidisciplinary Team to identify children who are legally disabled and also to recommend alternative services for children who are not disabled, but who are limited in their ability to benefit from learning opportunities because of idiosyncratic personal, social or environmental factors. Therefore, the Illinois Association of School Social Workers calls upon all school districts to assure that a properly certified School Social Worker conducts the Social Developmental Study, analyzes the data, authors a written report and attends staffings.
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© 1997-2008 Illinois Association of School Social Workers Updated on: April 19, 2008 |
