Student Guide to the School Social Work Credentials Preparation Program
School social work is one of the fastest growing areas of social work practice.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics:
Employment of child, family, and school social workers is projected to grow 12 percent from 2019 to 2029, much faster than the average for all occupations. Child and family social workers will be needed to work with families to strengthen parenting skills, prevent child abuse, and identify alternative homes for children who are unable to live with their biological families. In schools, more social workers will be needed as student enrollments rise.
School social workers work with teachers, parents, and school administrators to develop plans and strategies to improve students’ academic performance and social development. Students and their families are often referred to social workers to deal with problems such as aggressive behavior, bullying, or frequent absences from school. (Occupational Outlook Handbook-Social Workers, September 2020)
Berkeley Social Welfare offers formal, credential-directed education in school social work practice to help address this growing demand by training more master’s-level school social work professionals for work in California public schools. Our fully accredited School Social Work Program educates master’s-level social workers to assist public schools in achieving their educational and developmental missions. We aim to provide students with the knowledge, skills, and values necessary to be effective public school social workers. Students electing the school social work credentialing program option learn intervention skills to address the problems of school children and their families. Academic and field education experiences focus on serving disadvantaged and at-risk pupils and their families in an informed and self-reflective manner.
Our graduates understand the services available to vulnerable children and their families through the primary public service systems in the community, in addition to regular and special education. We emphasize collaborative and interdisciplinary modes of practice that include direct service with school children, their parents and caretakers; collaboration with teachers, administrators and other support personnel; linkage and advocacy with other resource providers; program evaluation; and participation in interdisciplinary educational teams.
About the Pupil Personnel Services Credentials
Berkeley Master of Social Welfare (MSW) students who complete the required academic and field curriculum in school social work are eligible to apply for a recommendation from Berkeley Social Welfare for the Pupil Personnel Services credential with a specialization in School Social Work ("PPS/SSW"), which is issued by the State of California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC). The PPS School Social Work credential is typically a requirement for employment as a school social worker in California K-12 public schools.
The Commission on Teacher Credentialing is the state agency responsible for the licensing and credentialing of professional educators in California, including Pupil Personnel Services (PPS) credential professionals. PPS credential professionals include school counselors, school psychologists, school social workers and child welfare and attendance providers. The CTC also sets and enforces the standards for all PPS preparation programs.
Berkeley Social Welfare’s school social work program is accredited by CTC to prepare and recommend candidates for the PPS credential in School Social Work, and the add-on authorization in Child Welfare and Attendance. To learn more about what each credential authorizes the holder to do, please read the CTC credential leaflet, “Pupil Personnel Services Credential for Individuals Prepared in California."