Schools Of Social Work Research Articles

A Lack of Workplace Resources for Social Workers in Schools.

Social workers support youth in schools, but there is a lack of research that explores the supports that are offered to these helpers. Research suggests workplace coping resources for social workers in other environments that may help buffer the effects of stress; however, there is a significant lack of research on the availability of these resources. The purpose of this study was to determine common available resources to social workers in schools. A total of 100 public school social workers were surveyed using the Workplace Resource Questionnaire for School Social Workers (designed for this study). The study's findings indicate a significant lack of workplace resources for school social workers; only 27 percent of participants reported regularly available resources outside their schools, and 18 percent and fewer reported resources regularly available in their schools. There was a range in how significant participants felt each resource would support their coping, but many participants felt the resources would support their coping at least minimally. Participants suggested training topics and other resources they felt would help their coping with stress while in the workplace.

From compassion to action: school social workers at the forefront of emergency response

ABSTRACT This study aims to investigate the role of school social workers in emergencies within educational settings. Using a semi-systematic methodology, it identifies relevant research to provide a comprehensive overview of literature covering school social work and emergency interventions. Through an analysis of 22 articles representing diverse global perspectives, this study sheds light on the intricate interplay within these domains. Its significance lies in revealing current knowledge while pointing to unexplored avenues for practitioners and researchers. By examining the experiences and strategies of school social workers, this study uncovers the dynamic approaches employed during emergencies, providing essential insights for effective emergency management. Social capital is widely employed when seeking to understand resilience and vulnerability in times of natural hazards and man-made disasters and crises. In this paper, a social capital perspective, broken down into bonding, bridging, and linking levels, is applied to the results. This enables an analysis that argues for the importance of adopting a systemic approach. The results show that social workers in schools play a vital role in all phases of disaster and crisis management. While the majority of research focuses on the response after an event has occurred, the findings from the reviewed articles also indicate the importance of involvement in the preparation and planning phases. These findings underscore the importance of social workers having an understanding of education, psychology, and community well-being. More research and education about the readiness and preparedness of school social workers in the Nordics is required.

Social responsibility of the school social worker (Sociological analysis)

إن هدفت الدراسة إلى التعرف على ماهية المسئولية الاجتماعية والكشف عن عناصرها ووظائفها، إضافة إلى التعرف على المسئولية الاجتماعية للإخصائي الاجتماعي في المدرسة والكشف عن العوامل التي تؤثر في تحقيق المسئولية الاجتماعية للإخصائي الاجتماعي في المدرسة. ولقد توصلت الدراسة إلى أن الإخصائي الاجتماعي في المدرسة لديه مسؤوليات متعددة تبدأ بمسؤوليته نحو نفسه، وطلابه، وزملائه، ومهنته، والمؤسسة التي يعمل بها. كما أوضحت الدراسة أن المسئولية الاجتماعية للإخصائي الاجتماعي في المدرسة تتحقق من خلال عدة عوامل يجب أن تتوفر منها عوامل تتعلق بشخصية الإخصائي نفسه مثل (الخبرة، التعليم، ...وغيرها)، وعوامل تتعلق بالمؤسسة التي يعمل بها أي المدرسة منها (جو المدرسة، الحوافز، الإدارة، الإمكانيات والموارد...وغيرها). كما تتم المسؤولية الاجتماعية للإخصائي الاجتماعي في المدرسة من خلال ثلاث جوانب رئيسية هي الجانب الإنشائي التنموي، الجانب الوقائي، الجانب العلاجي.

Pedagogical approaches for social justice and diversity in Canadian social work education

ABSTRACT This paper aims to explore social justice and diversity education in Canadian schools of social work. Using an online survey, we invited faculty members to share their teaching experiences in social justice and diversity courses. Participants included 24 faculty members who have taught either undergraduate or graduate students in accredited social work schools across Canada. Using descriptive synthesis and content analysis, the findings revealed various characteristics of social justice and diversity courses, as well as several categories around challenges and supports in teaching social justice and diversity courses. Three challenges are noted: (1) insufficient time to cover social justice and diversity topics with enough breadth and depth; (2) addressing students’ affects and preconceived ideas; and (3) increased burden for faculty members identifying as Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) teaching social justice focused courses. Participants described three areas that need to be strengthened to teach social justice and diversity courses including (1) integrating social justice content across all micro and macro courses, as well as practicum; (2) creating a space and culture of community of practice (CoP) for social justice education and ongoing faculty training; and (3) institutionalizing social justice education for the professional accreditation of social work education.

Queer umbrella: a student-employee collaboration to enhance 2SLGBTQ+ well-being and belonging

Students and employees from Colorado State University School of Social Work partnered to co-lead a comprehensive student and employee community-building initiative focused on enhancing 2SLGBTQ+ student and employee well-being and belonging. The Queer Umbrella, created in response to queer and trans-identifying students and employees’ experiences within a heterosexist and cissexist departmental climate, obtained funding from the university to improve departmental climate and 2SLGBTQ+ student and employee retention by focusing on three priority areas: visibility, action, and resilience. The ambitious semester-long grant initiative incorporated a variety of activities such as resiliency-based mutual aid groups and 2SLGBTQ+ alumnx lectures, advocacy, and queer and trans celebratory events. The purpose of this brief is to 1) share our experiences as leaders of the Queer Umbrella initiative, 2) highlight the impact of the initiative, and 3) identify and assess systemic barriers encountered while executing the initiative.

Hurried Child Syndrome in Schools: A Blessing or Curse? Understanding the Causes and Implications on the Well-Being of the Hurried Child in Ebonyi State, Nigeria

ABSTRACT Purpose The practice of hurrying children through schools by parents and guardians has become a contemporary social problem in Nigeria. This study is an attempt to underscore the causes and consequences of hurried child syndrome in schools and how they affect the well-being and development of the hurried children in Ebonyi State, Nigeria. Materials and methods Thirty-one participants were selected for the study, using multistage sampling techniques. Data were collected using in-depth interviews and analyzed thematically with the use of NVivo 9. Results Findings revealed that a weak educational policy, proliferation of private schools, busy parents/guardians, and desire to train children before retirement were some of the causes of hurried child syndrome; while depression, anxiety, and poor academic performance were some of its implications on the well-being of the child. Discussion The practice of the hurried child syndrome was seen to have negative implications on the well-being and development of the child. The study findings revealed that most hurried children suffer anxiety, and depression and feel unworthy when they fail to fulfill the expectations of their parents. Conclusion School counselors, health educators, school social workers, and concerned stakeholders should sensitize the public to the dangers associated with the practice of hurried child syndrome. They should also work toward revamping the educational policies and ensure that all schools (private and public) play by the rules. This will help reduce the practice of hurried child syndrome as well as its negative implications on the well-being of the children.

Intentional injury in Vietnam: Prevalence and contributing circumstances of suicidal ideation among ethnic boarding school graduates

The objective of this study was to investigate the prevalence of suicidal ideation and associated circumstances among students in ethnic boarding schools. The research employed a self-administered structured questionnaire adapted from the Vietnamese version of the World Health Organization (WHO) Global School-based Student Health Survey (GSHS) to assess the responses of 164 boarding school students. The results revealed that 12.2% of the students reported experiencing suicidal ideation within the last 12 months, with no discernible gender differences. Utilizing chi-square and logistic regression analyses, the study identified significant associations between suicidal ideation and factors such as a lack of parental understanding, insufficient peer support, and mental health challenges among students. The findings underscore the potential mitigating role of school social workers in addressing these risk factors and enhancing students' adjustment to the boarding school environment. The paper recommends the development of suicide prevention programs tailored to the specific needs of ethnic boarding school students. The research methodology involved the use of questionnaires in sociological surveys and employed SPSS tools for analysis. Furthermore, the study employs analytical, synthetic, historical, logical, statistical, and comparative methods to present its findings.

Sociology and the Vagrant: Beggars, Welfare and Tradition in Writing about the New Citizen in 1950s India

Exploring the work of M.S. Gore and the Delhi School of Social Work on Delhi’s ‘Beggar Problem’, which was published in 1959, this article shows how the ostensibly ‘secular’ solutions to the phenomenon were premised on a series of assumptions about caste-oriented mores and traditions of religious gifting, suggesting normative categories of citizenship based around these forms of identity. The article explores, in depth, the sociological approaches of Gore’s (and others’) study of beggary and argues that the emergent social policy on vagrancy connected to emergent concepts of social citizenship and rights to welfare. In the body of the reformable beggar receiving indiscriminate religious charity lay one of the core symbols of India’s drive towards a modern citizenry. This position on the sociology of beggars was also the product of two larger processes at work in mid twentieth century social sciences: firstly, the development of interdisciplinary approaches by anthropologists and sociologists as they came to terms with new research challenges in democratic India, and secondly, the move to consider new forms of direct social policy applications for research, via government sponsorship. Using Gore’s study, the article looks in detail at researchers’ concerns with labour productivity, religious charity and the possible secular forms of beggar rehabilitation. But ultimately, the School of Social Work’s study, in its apparent critique of draconian colonial controls, did not overturn the continued application of Indian anti-beggary laws in subsequent decades. This article argues that this was a product too of its configuration of social welfare as an outcome of longer-term societal change rather than state policy.

<span>Chronic Health-Related Student Absenteeism: School Social Workers’ Perspectives from an Urban Public School District in the Northern United States</span>

<span>Chronic Health-Related Student Absenteeism: School Social Workers’ Perspectives from an Urban Public School District in the Northern United States</span>

Research on school social work methodology based on predictive control and architectural innovations

Abstract This study focuses on innovations in school social work methods and explores applying predictive control-based models to effectively support and improve students’ mental health and behavioral development. The XGBoost algorithm and support vector machine were employed to predict students’ mental health. The study was influenced by physiological, self, family, school, social, and network factors, and a questionnaire was developed based on the SCL-90 Symptom Self-Rating Scale. A validity rate of 94.32% was achieved by collecting 432 valid questionnaires. The results indicated a significant positive correlation between the influencing factors and students’ mental health, with physiological and family factors being the most influential. An AUC value of 93.6% and an accuracy rate of 93.9% were achieved by the XGBoost-SVM model when predicting students’ mental health. The prediction model can update students’ mental health status in real-time and provide an effective predictive control tool for school social work.

ENHANCING CHILDREN’S SAFETY AND WELLBEING: EXPLORING THE ROLE OF A NEW SOCIAL SERVICE PROGRAMME IN FREE STATE TOWNSHIP SCHOOLS

In response to the pervasive violence affecting children's psychosocial wellbeing in South Africa, the Adopt-a-School Foundation introduced the Thari programme, targeting behavioural challenges that manifest in gangs, substance abuse and classroom disruptions. This article presents findings from a pilot project in Botshabelo, Free State, where gangsterism, academic struggles and social issues prevailed. The main study used an exploratory sequential mixed-methods design (qualitative/quantitative), but this article reports only on a part of the qualitative data from group and individual interviews that explored participants' perspectives. The study focused on children's behavioural challenges and observed school changes during implementation of the Thari programme. Results show a notable reduction in gangsterism and psychosocial issues, leading to decreased disruptive behaviour among children and highlighting improved behaviour after the introduction of psychosocial services. Keywords: child and youth care worker, psychosocial services, school safety, school social work, vulnerable children

THE EFFECT OF A MULTIDISCIPLINARY PSYCHOSOCIAL SUPPORT PROGRAMME ON THE RESILIENCE OF FEMALE ADOLESCENT RECIPIENTS IN JOHANNESBURG

The Ruth First Jeppe Memorial Trust (RFJM Trust) provides scholarships to deserving female secondary school learners in Johannesburg and offers a pilot multidisciplinary psychosocial support programme (MPSP) developed by a social worker to enhance their resilience and to facilitate the achievement of their potential. South African female adolescents are challenged daily by their social, economic, cultural, political and historical environments, which in combination threaten their development and functioning. Therefore, female adolescents require high levels of resilience to thrive. Through the pre-test/post-test measurement of the individual, relational and contextual protective resources of Grade 8 recipients of the RFJM Trust, a paired-samples t–test and correlation analysis determined that two aspects of the MPSP have moderate to large correlations with resilience. This quantitative, quasi-experimental, evaluative study will assist in improving the MPSP and contribute towards evidence-based practice in school social work. Keywords: evidence-based practice, female adolescents, resilience

Practical Research by School Social Work in Addressing College Students' Employment Challenges: A Study Based on Employment Conditions of Graduates from Y University

Practical Research by School Social Work in Addressing College Students' Employment Challenges: A Study Based on Employment Conditions of Graduates from Y University

PROFESSIONAL SOCIAL WORK ASSOCIATIONS IN AFRICA: A MIRROR OF HARSH REALITIES OR BEACONS OF HOPE?

Professional social work associations offer opportunities to network with other social work professionals, provide access to training opportunities for professional development, and form part of a representative voice for the social work profession. In this editorial of the 60th volume of Social Work/Maatskaplike Werk, we raise awareness of the Association of Schools of Social Work in Africa (ASSWA) and Social Work Month. Specifically, we reflect on whether professional associations of social workers should mirror scepticism, merely acknowledge existing realities, or foster positive endeavours for the future.

Database Versus Patient - Things to Consider when Utilizing the Hawai‘i Prescription Drug Monitoring Program

Insights in Public Health is a recurring column from the public health community and is coordinated by HJH&SW Contributing Editor Mapuana Antonio DrPH from the Office of Public Health Studies in the Thompson School of Social Work & Public Health at the at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa and Contributing Editor Nichole J. Fukuda MS from the Hawai‘i Department of Health.

CO-BUILDING INCLUSIVE SOCIAL TRANSFORMATION FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

The demands made by a rapidly changing society are embodied in persistent issues such as inequality, poverty, hunger, conflict and displacements, all exacerbated by climate change and its impacts. This reflects a world in crisis. Social work, committed to social justice and human rights for all, is at the forefront of social transformation. The International Association of Schools of Social Work (IASSW) strives to enhance the visibility of social work as a global actor in building an inclusive, just, peaceful and sustainable society. Realising this vision requires multi-level partnerships at the international, regional and local levels, facilitated by social work educators and practitioners, in collaboration with marginalised individuals and communities who are disproportionally affected by social and economic exclusion and environmental injustices.

The role of school social workers in promoting student leadership: Strategies and challenges

The role of school social workers in promoting student leadership: Strategies and challenges

The Role of School Social Work in Preventing Bullying in Schools—A Study Based on Cognitive-Behavioral Theory

The Role of School Social Work in Preventing Bullying in Schools—A Study Based on Cognitive-Behavioral Theory

A Call for the Institutionalisation of School Social Work Services in the O.R. Tambo Inland Secondary Schools to Counter the Psycho-Social ills Among Learners

Undeniably, learners in many secondary schools are confronted with an array of psychosocial ills that have a detrimental effect on their academic performance and overall development. This paper endeavours to delve into the ills encountered by learners in secondary schools, thereby necessitating the institutionalisation of school social work interventions in the O.R. Tambo Inland. The study adopted an exploratory and descriptive approach, aiming to explore and describe the phenomenon under scrutiny. A qualitative research methodology was employed to conduct in-depth interviews with a group of 12 learners. Furthermore, the quintet of School Governing Body (SGB) constituents actively participated in a collective discourse, constituting a focus group discussion. The empirical data were analysed thematically, with the ecological perspective and General Strain Theory (GST) being an intrinsic theoretical framework. Evidence on the ground suggests that learners are unfortunately confronted with a multitude of psychosocial ills, including but not limited to substance abuse, financial difficulties, instances of bullying, depressive symptoms, experiences of sexual abuse, and occurrences of incestuous relationships. As such, the researcher proposes that the Department of Education (DoE) should place a higher emphasis on the recruitment and deployment of social workers within schools to address the psychosocial needs of vulnerable learners effectively.

Social work at the crossroads. Dissident social work and changes in education for the field of social work in Poland

The critical debate on the current condition of social work in assistance systems is reflected not only in Poland, but also internationally, and it concerns the issue of the role of social work in societies affected by various crises. The article discusses the assumptions resulting from Paul Garret’s concept of dissident social work, referring some assumptions of the concept to several problems related to the scientific and professional condition of Polish social work and the needs and barriers to developing such forms of education for social work that correspond to changing social and market needs.Reviewing the educational offers of universities in Poland in the field of education for social work and comparing the popularity and possibilities of education for social work with the situation from a dozen or so years ago, the author of the text notes new educational opportunities, as well as a decrease in both the number of universities offering education in this field and the number of applicants for studies. Analysing the changes, she also draws attention to the dilemmas and the role of the Polish Association of Social Work Schools, which for over thirty years has been participating in the development of research, education and practice of social work in Poland and the integration of schools educating for social work, connecting three generations of researchers, teachers and social work practitioners.