Children do not fit into one mold. They must be treated as individuals.

Some of today’s students have problems that threaten their ability to do well in school and limit their progress toward becoming productive citizens. We must do everything in our power to be there for every child. Not only do their problems affect their education, but their problems can also affect their existence.

This year, many schools appear to be taking larger cuts than usual and it is important that parents and community members are informed before their children experience more loss in the educational system.

There are people in school systems who are not teachers but are just as valuable in regard to the educational process, such as social workers, psychologists, guidance counselors, substance abuse counselors, nurses, DARE officers, behavioral specialists, evaluators and literacy specialists. As members of an educational team they offer a wide variety of services that benefit children, services that teachers can’t provide because of lack of training and time constraints within a school day.

According to the World Health Organization, by 2020, childhood mental disorders will increase by more than 50 percent. The 2001 U.S. Surgeon General’s report on children’s mental health stated that 1 in 10 children in the United States suffers from mental illness severe enough to cause some level of impairment.

Elimination of professionals from a school system can place many of our children at risk.

Suicide is the second leading cause of death in Maine youth aged 15 to 19 years old. And, for every suicide completed an average of 20 attempts took place. Considering the fact that students spend several hours per day in a school setting, it is not unusual for this information to be disclosed within the school system. Since this can be a matter of life or death, this issue needs to be addressed when discovered. A delay may result in the death of a child.

Unfortunately, lots of children experience major issues in their lives and it is necessary to provide them with guidance.

According to the Department of Education, Androscoggin County has the second highest dropout rate in the state. It would seem pertinent that an educational team look at investing in our youth today rather than wait for them to be struggling adults tomorrow.

There are several children in our society that do go hungry or are not properly dressed, lacking basic necessities for various reasons. Growth in the ranks of poor children over the past few decades has not been due to an increase in the number of welfare-dependent families. Rather, it is because the ranks of the working poor have increased. School professionals can help these children and families with assistance.

Specialized professionals within schools work with very difficult topics that can be uncomfortable for others. There is a high degree of emotionality tied to many issues that children currently experience.

It is important that the public become aware of how high the numbers are regarding sexual assault. One in four girls and one in seven boys will be sexually victimized before the age of 18. In a classroom of 21 students, these numbers indicate that about six girls and three boys could be victims of sexual assaults.

Every day, more than a dozen Maine children are beaten, sexually abused or severely neglected. Each year, more than 3,000 cases are deemed worthy of investigation but never pursued because of insufficient staff. How are these children supposed to focus on education when there is so much internal pain?

Information and referral, collaboration with agencies and organizations, consultations, prevention and interventions, training and assessments are some of the processes that help children to be successful. Providing specialized services to the students will help them to be successful academically, emotionally, socially, physically and financially.

Educational failure not only threatens the future of the student, but also interferes with our social and economic status in the world.

By cutting positions within school systems, the children who need the most help will actually receive the least help.

Will we be there for every child?

Aren’t all of our children valuable to us?

If we are not there for the children, who will be?

Dr. Gloria Giroux is a licensed clinical social worker, a licensed alcohol and drug counselor and a school social work specialist at Sabattus Elementary School.

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