How Mapula fell through the cracks in her community school: A failing environment in a ‘high-impact social setting’

Abstract

As with other schools, there are many casualties on the road of the community school psychology movement in South Africa. This article presents the case of one young girl, Mapula, who may have been spared if school community psychology practice had been established in the inner city where she tried to get an education. The case study tells the story of her school's attempts to meet her educational needs and of her struggle. Mapula's condition deteriorated, parallel with the school's efforts to try and assist her. It urgently required the help of a support team and caring educational psychologists, social workers and public health professionals. None of these were forthcoming in this ‘private’ school ‘for the poor’. We argue for radical community psychology support in schools situated in settings such as these, where social impact is high. It also questions the ability of organisations running such schools, to cope with the full responsibility.