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Social Work Referral Form
Social Work Referral Form
A teacher referral form is a document that a teacher uses to indicate a student who has demonstrated behavior that may indicate the need for special services.
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A teacher referral form is a document that a teacher uses to indicate a student who has demonstrated behavior that may indicate the need for special services. Here is a teacher referral form to refer students to social worker counseling providing the student details, referral reason, most appropriate counseling type to be done, student's performance evaluation, student health and medical information, best day for counseling, behavior plan, information regarding the communication with the parents with the teachers' details.
You can customize the template through a variety of Jotform tools and integrations, add, change or remove fields, change the design and either embed the form to your website or use it as a standalone form.A teacher referral form is a document that a teacher uses to indicate a student who has demonstrated behavior that may indicate the need for special services.
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Social Work Referral Form
1) What is a school discipline referral?
A school discipline referral is a request a teacher or another educational professional makes for assistance from an administrator to handle a student issue. If a teacher makes a school discipline referral, it likely means they’ve attempted to address a serious student issue without success, and they need further assistance to improve the situation.
2) How and when should a teacher make a referral?
Before a teacher makes any referrals, it’s important they know when it’s appropriate to make one. By participating in professional development, teachers can learn common signs of a student potentially needing a referral.
Without proper training, teachers may make unnecessary referrals, leading to preventable issues with administrators, students, and parents. A lack of training could also result in teachers feeling uncomfortable about making a referral at all, which could leave major issues unresolved.
There are three main types of referrals that a teacher can make:
- Discipline referrals are for serious, unresolvable student issues that need immediate attention from an administrator.
- Special education evaluation referrals evaluate a student’s eligibility for special education services.
- Social work referrals request counseling for a student who the teacher perceives is under mental stress.
Each of these referral types are significant, so teachers need to be sure they’ve taken the proper steps before submitting one. While referrals are an important tool at your disposal, it’s best to think of them as a last resort.
Before beginning the referral process, consider the conditions of your student’s situation to see if they align with appropriate referral criteria.
Discipline referrals
Submitting a school discipline referral means that a student issue is serious and that any attempts to resolve it so far have been unsuccessful. Teachers commonly make discipline referrals for situations involving
- Bullying
- Cheating on tests or other examinations
- Fighting
- Stealing
- Possessing, using, or distributing illicit drugs or alcohol
- Repeatedly disrespecting teachers
- Threatening violence
Teachers typically handle smaller issues, like tardiness and low-level disruptions, within the classroom. But major issues can be grounds for immediate intervention.
However, before submitting a referral, teachers need to make sure they’ve taken the proper considerations:
- Address issues of student safety. If student safety is at risk, don’t hesitate to contact an administrator right away.
- Attempt to handle the situation in the classroom first, if possible.
- Document efforts to resolve this issue.
- Contact parents and/or guardians to alert them to the behavior and involve them in the process, following school guidelines and relevant local policy.
If you’ve taken these actions and the situation persists, a referral might be the right next step so you can get the help you need to get your classroom in order.
Special education referrals
Submitting special education referrals is a significantly different process than submitting other referrals, as it typically involves a higher amount of collaboration between teachers and parents.
Teachers collect and organize evidence of a student’s need for special education services, while parents provide evidence from their experiences at home.
As important as it is to get students the help they need, it’s also important to be sure a student truly qualifies for these services. Submitting a special education referral unnecessarily can be damaging to your credibility and create unnecessary difficulty for the student.
Before submitting your referral, consider the following:
- What evidence do you have of this student’s special education needs?
- Have you documented attempts to intervene and support this student prior to a referral?
- Have you involved the student’s parents in this process prior to submitting?
- Are you sure the details of this student’s potentially qualifying condition are accurate?
A special education referral can make a considerable difference in a student’s educational well-being. However, if you do it incorrectly, it can damage your credibility and relationships, as well as the student’s self-confidence, so be careful to take the proper steps before submitting.
Social work referrals
Where social work referrals differ from the previous two referral types is in the level of intervention required prior to submitting. Teachers aren’t required to intervene before submitting a social work referral, which makes this type of referral more of a judgment call than others.
Teachers typically make social work referrals for students experiencing one or any combination of the following:
- Repeated instances of severe emotional distress (crying, rage, etc.)
- Significant, sudden changes in academic performance
- New severe behavioral issues (bullying, insubordination, violence, etc.)
- Depression or isolation
- Trauma
The process for submitting referrals is relatively the same. All types of referrals, except counseling services, typically require documentation of attempts to resolve a perceived problem. Once a teacher has documented their active attempts to resolve an issue over time, they can fill out the appropriate paperwork and submit a referral.
3) How and when should teachers contact and involve the student's parents in this process?
The best time to get parents involved in the referral process differs depending on the type of referral a teacher is submitting. However, the general rule of thumb is that sooner is always better. If an issue is serious enough to submit a referral, it’s important to properly inform the student’s parents.
Resolving these issues is the ultimate goal, but it’s crucial to consider how news of a potential issue will impact parents. Involving parents early in the process allows them to be a part of the solution. It also enables them to attempt to resolve the issue at home before it escalates to a referral.
Be sure to use empathy and understanding with parents during this process, as this news can be distressing at best, regardless of the circumstances.
Always be sure to follow school guidelines and local policy.
4) What measures should teachers take to avoid similar problems?
Proper classroom management and disciplinary practices are key to helping your classroom function as it should. By learning to resolve issues quickly and effectively — without escalating — teachers will reduce the impact of day-to-day disruptions. This fine line becomes easier to follow with experience.
Teachers must remember that referrals are always an option, but issues typically don’t appear overnight. Check in with your students often and take note of conditions that may lead to future issues.
Professional development, peer insight, and experience over time can help boost a teacher’s ability to identify and resolve conflicts before they escalate. These skills will increase your classroom’s overall well-being and reduce the need for future referrals.
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