Bryn Mawr College

Home and School Visitor Certificate

 The Home and School Visitor Certificate is required by some Pennsylvania school districts for individuals who provide home and school services to students in grades K-12. Bryn Mawr’s Home and School Visitor certificate program is approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Education. All candidates for Home and School Visitor Certification must be recommended to the Pennsylvania Department of Education by their academic institution.

Eligibility

Applicants to Bryn Mawr’s Home and School Visitor Certificate Program include:

• students enrolled in Bryn Mawr’s Master of Social Service (M.S.S.) degree program, who may complete program requirements within their graduate curriculum; and
• individuals who have completed a master’s program in social work or in a related field at Bryn Mawr or another institution, who may apply as non-matriculated students.

Academic Requirements

• Public Education: Issues in Social Work Practice –an overview of social work in the school and education issues that affect the school and community
• Education Law for School Social Work – highlights federal and Pennsylvania state legal mandates relevant to education
• Elective – the elective must pertain to treatment of children and/or adolescents.
• Practicum - All students must complete a supervised practicum that includes a minimum of 375 hours in a school setting, working with students and their families as well as teachers and other support staff. For current M.S.S. students, this requirement is met through a school-based field placement. Students who have completed a master’s degree can meet this requirement in one semester through full-time employment in a school setting or through a school-based practicum assignment arranged through Bryn Mawr’s Field Instruction Office.

• Integrative Seminar - This noncredit seminar focuses on the integration of the practice of social work into the unique context of the public educational system in Pennsylvania. The various roles and responsibilities of home and school visitors and social workers in an educational environment are examined through a focus on issues that include child abuse reporting, confidentiality, parental involvement, safety, special education and truancy. Emphasis is placed on integrating the practice of social work into an education environment in a manner consistent with the ethics and values of the social work profession. The seminar is held at specific intervals during each semester. Current M.S.S. students must complete seven of the ten sessions scheduled over two semesters to receive credit; non-matriculating students must complete five sessions in the semester in which they are enrolled. There is no fee or credit for this seminar.

• Psychological Testing for Social Workers - This two-part seminar is offered as part of Bryn Mawr’s Continuing Education program. It addresses the issues of psychological testing and how school social workers can assist parents in understanding the results. See course description.

Transfer Credit

Transfer credit for master's courses will be considered upon the receipt of an official graduate transcript and supporting materials in the form of a course description and/or syllabus for each transfer credit request. Requests for transfer credit for a field practicum experience are to be accompanied by a description written by the field instructor of responsibilities held and length of time spent in the placement, identification of the school and school district where the practicum took place, as well as verification of its satisfactory completion. Field experiences and graduate courses must have been completed within five years of the request for transfer credit. Courses for which transfer credit is requested must have a grade of "B" or above.

General Requirements

The Pennsylvania Department of Education requires that Bryn Mawr College collect and maintain supporting materials pertaining to all Home and School Visitor academic requirements completed by the student, either at Bryn Mawr or through transfer credit from another academic insitution. Recommendation to PDE for the Certificate will not be made until all materials have been collected. It is the responsibility of the student to request supporting materials from other academic institutions, including official transcripts and course descriptions and/or syllabi, and to submit the materials to the Continuing Education Office.

Non-matriculated Student Application – applicants other than current Bryn Mawr students must submit a non-matriculated student application.

Declaration of Intent Form – all applicants submit a nonbinding agreement indicating their intention to purse the certificate. The form must be signed by the student and by Bryn Mawr’s Director of Social Work and Social Research.

Interview with the Bryn Mawr’s Associate Dean of Social Work and Social Research – applicants meet with the GSSWSR Associate Dean to discuss their preparation for, and interest in, school social work, as well as how they intend to use the knowledge gained through this course of study.

Active Pennsylvania Social Work License – the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania requires a copy of the applicant’s active Pennsylvania social work license. Other professional credentials, including professional counseling licenses, will not be accepted. In the absence of an official Pennsylvania social work license, the student must submit  verification of satisfactory completion of Praxis examinations in reading, writing and math. This verification must be in the form of an official sticker from the PA Department of Education

Cost of the Program

Master's credit courses (HSV Field Instruction; Education Law; Public Education Issues; Electives) are billed at the current academic year pricing level. The HSV Integrative Seminar carries no fee. The Psychological Testing course is billed through the Continuing Education Office and offrs a discount for those enrolled in the Home and School Visitor Certificate program. Financial aid is not available to non-matriculated students. Individuals who enroll in fewer than two Bryn Mawr master's level courses to complete the academic requirements will be assessed an additional administrative fee at the time their application and the School's recommendation are sent to the Pennsylvania Department of Education.

Additional Information

Students are advised that, in order to work in a school setting in Pennsylvania, they must have the following clearances: (1) criminal record check; (2) PA child abuse history clearnance; and (3) federal clearance. Forms are available on-line or by calling the Field Office at Bryn Mawr GSSWSR (610-520-2601).

 

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