School Social Workers, Resiliency, and September 11

Schools are one of the most important social systems, besides that of the family, affecting resilience and the lives of children, according to Resiliency: An Integrated Approach to Practice, Policy, and Research (NASW, 2002) edited by Roberta R. Greene, PhD, MSW.

Research finds, as stated by Greene, that teachers and school social workers oftentimes have the power to tip the scales from risk to resilience, accomplishing this through support, kindness, compassion, and respect.

Schools—through the work of school social workers—should strive to increase family and school partnerships within the community. In the case of September 11, school social workers were there, literally, in the cases of schools near the World Trade Center. These social workers provided and continue to provide assistance to many families within their communities.

As we take time to remember the events of September 11, NASW offers school social workers the following suggestions to help meet the needs of their clients:

• Welcome and encourage questions and dialog about the events, but don’t force discussion or clients to verbally express their thoughts and feelings. Questions can provide social workers with an opportunity to help students decipher their needs and underlying fears and concerns. Respect and appreciate individual differences in remembering September 11, and know that not everyone will memorialize the day’s events in the same way. Social workers can help students decide if they want to participate in memorial activities and in what way.
• Be familiar with symptoms of PTSD and of normal grieving. People treated for PTSD following September 11 will be particularly vulnerable to the one-year anniversary, while others may demonstrate delayed symptoms following the anniversary. Expect intense fears and emotions related to the original incident to resurface and manifest in behavior rather than in conversation. According to Mila Tecala, ACSW, DCSW, Director of the Center for Loss and Grief in Washington, DC, “there are as many ways to grieve as there are people, but in general, it is important for many to be able to accept the reality of loss, to experience the pain associated with that loss, and to adjust to a new environment—a new way of living.” Most people, except those directly affected by the tragedies, have and will continue to experience the normal grief process. Social workers, though, should look for signs of something more complicated. People who witnessed the attacks, suffered immediate loss of a loved one or even loss of employment related to the attacks, or experienced other tragic events may be vulnerable to symptoms of PTSD.
• Encourage parents to limit media coverage of the 9-11 anniversary for children and possibly adolescents, depending on their ability to process information. Watching replays of the attacks and media related coverage such as Anthrax scares can heighten anxiety for children, youths, and sometimes adults.
• Help parents to recognize and identify behavior changes in their children that may stem from the anniversary of the attacks—recalling the original event. This can involve helping parents to maintain a written record of behavior changes and comparing such to “pre-anniversary” behavior.
• Encourage clients to maintain daily routines, if possible. Changing daily routines may increase vulnerability, especially for children and youths.
• Be prepared with referrals in the needs of the student are beyond your scope of practice within the school.
• Be mindful of the needs of Muslims children and those of Arab descent, who may be wrongfully targeted and at increased risk for threats and violence.
• School social workers should also monitor their own reactions to the one-year anniversary. Social workers across practice settings aided individuals, families, and communities, as well as employers following the attacks in September. They will continue to do so for years to come. It is important that social workers are aware of their own feelings, fears, and concerns — children especially will be very aware and sensitive to the feelings of their social worker.

For more information about school social work, contact Lahne Mattas-Curry or for NASW members, please contact the School Social Work Section.