Social Services

At Stanford Children’s Health, we nurture the whole patient and family. We understand that supporting your emotional and social needs is essential to you and your child’s physical well-being.

We’re Here For You

Providing family-centered care means partnering with you as a member of the care team and getting to know your child’s and your family’s unique needs and preferences. By learning what your individual family needs, we can work together to develop a plan that helps with care coordination, resource assistance and emotional support throughout your child’s healthcare journey.

Across the Stanford Children’s Health network, our social workers can help your family in many ways: 

  • Providing counseling to help patients and caregivers manage life changes associated with hospitalization and/or a medical condition
  • Providing crisis intervention and support
  • Helping patients and caregivers understand the patient’s illness and treatment plan
  • Helping the patient’s siblings and other family members adjust to the patient’s illness and/or hospitalization
  • Helping address language and cultural needs by working closely with Interpreter Services to provide support in your first language
  • Planning and facilitating patient care conferences between your family and the medical team to make treatment decisions
  • Educating your family about access to health care, hospital and network resources
  • Providing referrals to community agencies that offer financial, insurance, legal and mental health services and other practical needs

Contact a Social Worker

Most of our medical services have dedicated social workers. Patients who use those services will be partnered with a social worker.

Please call our main office at (650) 497-8303 for questions, referrals or help contacting your social worker. Social workers are available at the hospital Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

You may also request a social worker by asking a nurse or member of the medical team to make a referral.