Schools Of Social Work Research Articles

Social Work Faculty Perceptions on the Need for Inclusive LGBTQIA + Policies in Schools of Social Work

Social Work Faculty Perceptions on the Need for Inclusive LGBTQIA + Policies in Schools of Social Work

Preparing students for ADEI praxis: a case study of a practicum preparatory lab

ABSTRACT Social work curricula have evolved to include anti-racism, diversity, equity, and inclusion (ADEI) as a critical lens for working with community members across the micro, mezzo, and macro levels of practice. However, the research to support best practices for teaching ADEI praxis is minimal. Consequently, the unclear guidance translates into students being unprepared for anti-racism praxis in their practicum settings, which may result in them being harmed, as well as being the perpetrators of harm. To address this gap, one school of social work developed a pre-practicum lab for generalist practice in its Master of Social Work program. In this Lab, students learn the cornerstones of reflection, self-awareness, self-regulation and how to engage within a practicum environment using an ADEI lens. This paper describes the state of ADEI in social work education, the development, and design of the Lab in response to the situation, its implementation, and implications for social work education.

School Social Workers' Responses to Racial Injustice During COVID-19: A Need for Anti-Racist Practice in K-12 Schools

ABSTRACT This qualitative study examines how school social workers (SSWers) responded to the U.S. racial injustices highlighted by the media during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. SSWers were interviewed during what some scholars dubbed a “moment of reckoning and crisis” following the murder of George Floyd and the subsequent nationwide demonstrations for justice that aimed to challenge racialized police violence (Villarreal Sosa 2022, p. 67). Seventeen SSWers in K–12 public schools from various school districts across three states (Minnesota, Colorado, and Nevada) completed two key informant interviews related to their experiences during the spring and fall semesters of 2020. A constructivist grounded theory approach, including three coding cycles, was used to analyze participant narratives. A substantive theory for understanding SSWers’ responses (or lack of responses) to racial injustices during this period emerged. The findings provide an initial understanding of how SSWers’ responded to racial injustice during this moment of crisis and some of the factors that impacted their responses. The most common responses to racial injustice during this moment of crisis included: 1) engaging in conversations about race and racism and 2) participating in learning opportunities about race, racism, and racial justice. Our theory highlights how (lack of) structural support influenced SSWers’ responses. Implications for school social work (SSW) practice, curriculum, and research are discussed.

”Kieli oli tässä kohtaa vain väline” – kulttuuritulkkien, opettajien ja kuraattoreiden näkemyksiä kielestä ja kulttuuritulkkien roolista

Alongside public service interpreting consisting of language interpretation, many institutions, including institutions of learning, increasingly use intercultural mediators to communicate with migrants. Drawing on the research tradition of sociology of translation, we analyze our data from two perspectives, mobilizing the sociological concepts of role, agency, and (affective) facework, as well as the linguistic anthropological concept of language ideology. The data consist of semi-structured thematic interviews with intercultural mediators and teachers and school social workers who work with them. The analysis shows that intercultural mediators’ affective labor, based on their broad agency, is fundamental in building trust between migrant families and the school. Intercultural mediation is different from public service interpreting, where monolithic, referential language ideologies are often felt to prevent the achievement of mutual understanding between the participants.

COVID 19 and the Mental Health of College Students

Background:The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak significantly impacted those across the United States. The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a mental health strain particularly among college students.Objective:This article examines the mental health of college students and the challenges they experience surrounding COVID-19.Methods:This literature reviews the on-campus infrastructure, resources, and support during the pandemic.Findings:The common theme in the findings throughout the literature is the increase and prevalence in stress, anxiety, and depression among college students with worsening results for students of color.Conclusion:The implications to practice, policy, and research are discussed to set future direction. Recommendations are provided to support the mental health of college students during future pandemics. Colleges and universities need to look to the schools of social work and social work educators for leadership and guidance in improving future outcomes.

Certificate in Advanced Behavioral Interventions Among Multiple Populations

This manuscript describes the curricular and instructional approaches utilized in the composition and delivery of the Certificate in Advanced Behavioral Interventions Among Multiple Populations (CABISAM) created by the School of Social Work at Loyola University Chicago. CABISAM is a social work led interprofessional education (IPE) model where students from social work, nursing, and medicine engage in didactic and experiential activities to advance clinical and leadership knowledge of interprofessional approaches to screening, brief intervention, and referral for treatment (SBIRT) with diverse populations. An interprofessional team of faculty from each discipline was involved throughout the development and planning process to consider accreditation, cultural, and logistical issues unique to each profession. CABISAM engages students in an evidenced-based interprofessional education (IPE) experience with exposure to cutting-edge topics relevant to health professionals: training in interprofessional practice, substance use in unique settings with diverse populations, and clinical implementation skills. This manuscript presents an adaptable and generalizable interprofessional education approach to other undergraduate and graduate programs across disciplines.

"We Want to be There to Support … Do We Have the Capacity to Do That?" Current Priorities and Challenges in School Social Work.

While adolescent mental health needs have continued to rise, schools have become a central location for adolescents seeking support for mental health needs, and approximately 96% of public schools in the United States report providing some form of mental health care to students. This study aims to explore school social workers' current challenges and priorities in their roles. Qualitative focus groups with current school social workers in Virginia (N = 16) were conducted for this study. Participants worked in middle and high schools for a minimum of 3 years across the state. Braun and Clarke's steps for thematic analysis were used to guide coding and themes. The current study found 3 primary themes: (1) role confusion due to vast scope of responsibilities within their schools; (2) a disconnect between desired roles and assigned roles and responsibilities; and (3) lack of formal model of service provision. Focus should be placed on the integration of current models of school social work practice to ensure the effective utilization of their services. The study reveals important information regarding the current and future state of school social work practice.

Historical Development of Social Work and Social Welfare Services in Ethiopia

Social work in Ethiopia has been influenced by the ideology and political economy of governments in power. To explore the core problems social work and social welfare services have experienced, this research employed a systematic review of literature. Organised social welfare services in Ethiopia is a fairly recent phenomenon beginning with the establishment of the first school of social work in 1959. This school was closed in 1974 and then reopened in 2004. The field experienced other challenges too, including its informal merger with the Department of Sociology during the socialist regime. Since social work in Ethiopia is heavily influenced by the Western curriculum and its professional associations have little ability to professionalise the field, its contribution to improving social welfare services is unsatisfactory. Further, because there is no regulatory body, the associations pursue their commitments only sporadically. This has a negative effect on providing quality social welfare services. The future will be determined by the degree to which social work is professionalised.

Abortion in Taranto

Availing ourselves of the collaboration of a student from the School of Social Work, admitted as a trainee in the obstetrics-gynaecology department of a Taranto regional hospital, where abortions are performed in application of law 194, we carried out a survey on a total group of 150 women randomly selected from those undergoing the termination of pregnancy.

School Social Work History: A Scoping Review

School Social Work History: A Scoping Review

The Roles and Responsibilities of School Social Workers in the African Context: A Scoping Review

The profession of school social work has been acknowledged as being of critical importance on a global scale. However, little is known about the practice of school social work in the African context, specifically the roles and responsibilities of practitioners. This scoping review aimed to synthesize empirical studies conducted in the African continent on the roles and responsibilities of school social workers. Using Arksey and O’Malley’s (2005) five-step framework, the search for articles was completed on six electronic databases: Sabinet African Journals, Scopus, ProQuest Central, CINAHL, SocIndex, Medline, and Education Research Complete. Eight articles met the inclusion criteria and were analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings indicate that school social workers or social workers servicing schools are responsible for providing psychosocial support to learners experiencing social challenges; facilitating group work sessions focused on socialization and life skills; training and guiding teachers on ways to better support learners, developing and implementing school programs addressing issues such as bullying and teenage pregnancy; and forming partnerships with other professionals and organizations to support learners. This review concludes that there is a dearth of research dedicated to school social work or social work services in African schools. Future research on school social work should focus on unique challenges, best practices, and the impact of social work services in African schools. Governments and educational institutions should prioritize the integration of social work services within school systems. The review highlights the multifaceted roles practitioners play in creating supportive educational environments in African contexts. Keywords: School Social Work, Africa, Roles, Responsibilities, Learners

Exploring the ripple effect: learner psycho-social challenges, teacher emotional fatigue, and the role of school social work in South Africa—an interview-based qualitative study using Bronfenbrenner's framework

Guided by Bronfenbrenner's (1994) ecological systems theory Bronfenbrenner (Int Encycl Educ,3(2):37–43) , this study highlights the interplay between learner psycho-social challenges and teacher emotional fatigue, which affect classroom dynamics, and the critical role of systemic support—the role of school social workers (SSWs)—in South Africa. Using an exploratory-descriptive qualitative design, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 15 primary school teachers and 13 SSWs from various provinces. Our participants' diverse backgrounds and experiences provided comprehensive insights. Findings highlight the need for a holistic approach to addressing learner psycho-social challenges, emphasising comprehensive support systems for teachers, including training and early intervention. Additionally, the integration of full-time SSWs and the active involvement of psychologists, families, and communities is crucial. Insights can inform educational policies and practices, enhancing teachers' and learners' well-being and effectiveness.

Social Work Practice in United Arab Emirates (UAE) Schools during and after the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Study

Besides their educational mission, public schools ground and support the health and psychological, emotional, and social development of students. The educational system is special because it combines multiple integrated responsibilities and duties that transcend the scope of any other social welfare program. Social workers are crucial constituents of educational systems and are expected to attend to the well-being of students while ensuring the effective performance of the educational system. Given such rigorous demands, this study assesses and compares the actual functions undertaken by social workers in schools in the United Arab Emirates during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. In so doing, it aims to help improve educational systems worldwide. The nuanced results of this study will better elucidate the crucial capabilities of social workers in the dynamic educational system and illuminate the challenges they confront during emergencies.

Texas School Social Workers: Demographics, Work Characteristics

Texas School Social Workers: Demographics, Work Characteristics

The associations among racial and ethnic identity and perceptions of professors, support, and mental wellbeing in schools of social work

ABSTRACT In the summer of 2020, the United States witnessed unprecedented unrest following the police killing of George Floyd. The reckoning with racial injustice stimulated discussions throughout colleges and universities in the country – particularly within schools of social work – about systemic racism, power, privilege, bias, and inequity. Current political and racial climate have caused tremendous emotional stress for many BIPOC (Black Indigenous people of color) students. In response to national political concerns, scholarships addressing racial justice and higher education emerged, pivoting their efforts toward developing new initiatives to promote diverse and inclusive campus environments. This pilot study recruited a convenience sample (N = 33) from social work programs from 20 different universities throughout the country to complete quantitative surveys. Participants were primarily women (82.9%), and white (65.9%), with some students identifying as non-binary gender, and some with learning or physical disabilities. The study explored student characteristics on their perceptions of their sense of feeling supported, connected to the university, experience of diversity initiatives, and overall mental health. Regression models indicate that BIPOC students were more likely to disagree that their social work programs focused on diversity. Similarly, women students reported a lack of new commitment to diversity among their campuses. Although the CSWE has committed to diversity and inclusion in social work programs and the profession for 40 years, this pilot study suggests that social work students still do not consistently perceive a focus on diversity and race discussions as adequate. This study can help social work schools and administrators research their curriculum, faculty, and students while adopting the new EPAS competencies.

Student perspectives on school-based social workers: a mixed-methods study

PurposeSchool social work, in various forms, is well established internationally and has a growing evidence base. Yet existing research focuses on professional perspectives rather than those of students. This study aims to fill this gap by exploring secondary school student perspectives of having social workers in schools (SWIS). It was undertaken in England as part of the SWIS trial, which tested whether secondary school-based social workers could improve child safety and well-being, identify issues more quickly and reduce the need for statutory services.Design/methodology/approachA mixed-methods approach comprised a survey (n = 1,998 students) and interviews (n = 27 students). Surveys included questions on awareness, understanding, interaction with and attitudes towards the school-based social workers. Interviews involved a Q-sort activity followed by semi-structured questions on general attitudes and experiences. The Q-sort characterised prominent perspectives and how many students subscribed to them.FindingsStudents were broadly positive about having a social worker in their school in the survey and interviews. Two prominent perspectives on SWIS were identified. The first (n = 17) was defined by students feeling positively overall and strongly agreeing that they trusted the social worker. The second (n = 4) was mixed in sentiment, defined by some anxiety about working with the social worker. In interviews, students relayed that social workers were easily accessible, offered emotional support and acted as a bridge between school and home.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to quantify student perspectives on having social workers at school and evidence attitudes and experiences about school-based social work as practiced during the SWIS trial.

Social workers’ core components for mitigating problematic school absenteeism: the case of school social teams in Sweden

ABSTRACT Problematic school absenteeism is increasing in most advanced welfare countries. As school success is a well-established factor for improving children’s social, mental, and physical development, it represents a fundamental challenge for welfare states. To counteract this development, a variety of different methods and interprofessional collaborations have been developed recently. Despite this, there is little research to date on the roles social workers adopt in mitigating problematic absenteeism. This article presents a study that explored the roles of social workers in a newly developed and rapidly spreading Swedish method, School Social Teams. This study aimed to explore the roles adopted by school social workers in these teams and the core components associated with decreased problematic school absenteeism. The study found empirical evidence for three roles and six associated core components: the mediator (creating a communicative space and fostering an understanding of underlying problems); the advocate (establishing a student perspective and advocate at meetings); and the available adult (being available and having endurance). Compared with the existing literature, the mediator and advocate are more theoretically anchored in the literature, whereas the available adult role are related to stronger evidence for mitigating problematic school absenteeism. One conclusion is the importance of deliberate choices of various roles associated with school social work roles as its core components are related to different outcomes.

The cost-effectiveness and cost-consequences of a school-based social worker intervention: A within-trial economic evaluation

Schools are a significant source of referrals to Children’s Social Care (CSC) services. A within-trial economic evaluation estimated the cost-effectiveness of embedding social workers in schools (SWIS) in England compared to usual practice. Two hundred and sixty-eight schools comprising 277,888 students were randomised. The primary outcome of the trial was section 47 enquiries (i.e. child protection referrals to CSC services). The economic evaluation estimated the incremental cost-effectiveness of SWIS in reducing section 47 enquiries. Micro-costing approaches assessed the cost of the social worker intervention and addressed variability in key unit costs. Mean differences in costs and outcomes were estimated, with bootstrap 95% confidence intervals and scaling to incidence rate ratios per 1000 students per year. No statistically significant differences between trial arms were identified for any outcomes, costs or cost-effectiveness over a 23-month follow-up. The probability that SWIS is cost-effective was estimated for a range of willingness to pay values. At threshold values of £1000, £10,000 and £20,000, the probabilities for cost-effectiveness were estimated as 1.3%, 1.1% and 6.1%, respectively. This means SWIS had a low probability of being cost-effective.

Pandemic-induced Migration From Campus to Digital Mode: Experiences From Social Work Students and Teachers in India and Sweden

The article explores the rapid COVID-19 pandemic-induced migration from campus to digital modes of education in 2020–2021. The process of this migration offers an opportunity to examine some important issues related to digital teaching, learning, and education during the pandemic. Based on our study of the School of Social Work at Tata Institute of Social Sciences in Mumbai, India, and the School of Social Work at Lund University, Sweden, we explore and compare the social component in the experiences of students and teachers at the two institutions. The data collection draws on focus group sessions and interviews complemented by various relevant institutional documents and our own experiences at our respective institutions. The core argument we put forth in the article is that the Swedish student and teacher response to the pandemic-induced crisis and the migration to digital classes was a case of ‘trusting the state’, as they were passively waiting for top-down initiatives and instructions. On the other hand, the response at the Indian institution was a case of ‘trusting ourselves’, not waiting for top-down instructions and support but creating bottom-up solutions within the internal community of teachers and students. We also highlight the different perceptions and the impact of teaching and studying from home on physical and emotional levels. While we present the differences and specificity around the expectations of teachers and students at the two institutions, we also elucidate their patience, perseverance and innovation while engaging with the realities of work and studying from home while being kept away from campus.

“I was always on the outside, watching quietly”: Autistic women reflect on school experiences

Voices of autistic women and girls have historically been absent from research. Even now, there is limited knowledge about the experiences of autistic girls and women, particularly in the school setting. To address this gap, this phenomenological study explored a broad range of school experiences for autistic women, from kindergarten through college. Interviews of 6 participants were conducted through a pilot study to inform the development of the interview protocol and process. A total of 14 autistic women participated in the full study, which also included the initial 6 from the pilot. Interviews were audio recorded and transcribed. Two researchers independently analyzed the data to identify themes using thematic analysis. Six themes were identified: (1) Accuracy of diagnosis matters; (2) Details matter; (3) Meaning of sensory and emotional experiences; (4) Invisibility/Not belonging; (5) Relationship and friendship challenges; (6) Layers of vulnerability. We identify recommendations for educators, administrators, counselors, and school social workers.