Understanding Home visits and Communication with Parents at Bester Elementary

Home visits are conducted on a regular basis. Visits are conducted for not attending school,
inability to reach the parent for behaviors or academic issues. The parent may appear visibly
distraught in the school setting, the health office cannot locate a parent, or simply was already in
the neighborhood. The purpose of a home visit is to scope well being of the home and what the
child is dealing with at the house. Making observations to see if strangers are present in the home
and also viewing if there are any substances being used by the parents while there. The case
manager observes how the parents communicates and how the house is decorated or how clean
the house may be. She observes if there are multiple families living there. Communication during
dismissal/drop off is used as a major way to communicate with families. I also partner with the
Boys and Girls Club to stay connected on a higher level.
2.

3.

Department of Social Services, BrookLane Behavioral Health, Mental Health, Countless

Pediatric offices, Meritus Health, Health Department, Sheriffs Department, Hagerstown

Police Department, REACH Cold Weather Shelter, St. Johns Shelter, Salvation Army
Shelter, Soup Kitchens, Maryland Food Bank, Legal Aid, Community Action Council,
Community Free Clinic, Drug Treatment Centers, Potomac Case Management, and many
others.

The needs of most clients served include: Mental Health issues, parenting, overall poverty,

substance abuse, `limited educations, and fragmented families. The school has been placed
as a hub for many family issues. Parents look to the school for things that were typically
addressed by other agencies. The school social worker has to provide services to more
people with deeper issues. One major recommendation would be to have more workers to
assist families on a larger scale. Also that agencies mainstreaming delivery of services would
also eliminate holes in the service industry.

Interview was conducted with Jocelyn Summerour at Bester Elementary School