Understanding Federal Law and State Regulations Relevant to School Social Work

This chapter discusses the interconnectedness between education policy and practice and provides an overview of historical and emerging policies vital to school social work practice. The chapter covers milestones such the Brown v. Board of Education case, the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, Title XI of the Education Amendments Act of 1972, the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act, and the McKinney–Vento Homeless Assistance Act of 1987. New and emerging policies, including gender and LGBTQ+ rights, social-emotional learning standards, mental health supports, and restorative discipline are explored. Finally, given the elevation of virtual schooling during the COVID-19 pandemic, the chapter highlights emerging policies around technology, privacy, and confidentiality.

Emerging Trends in School Social Work

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought new challenges to education and school social work practice. School social workers have been called upon to adapt their practices, policies, and programs but are still responsible for maintaining the connection between students’ homes, schools, and communities. Distance learning and online instruction is a service to some communities and a disservice to others. With a focus on the whole student in the context of family and community, this chapter explores three critical issues impacting schools: educational inequality in relation to family engagement; technology; and child and adolescent mental health. This chapter explores paths that school social workers can follow to foster educational success through traditional and innovative procedures. It also provides new school social workers with a toolbox to use for remote-based work.

Challenges in making school social work a reality in Brazilian schools

At the end of 2019, the presence of social workers became mandatory in Brazilian state-funded elementary schools. This brief note explores the challenges schools may have in translating the new legislation from paper to practice. The goal is to frame and advance the discourse of school social work in Brazil. Among other topics, this note discusses the role of social workers in educational environments in Brazil and identifies the barriers that may exist to the exercise of the profession in these institutional spaces. Ultimately, suggestions are made on how to develop effective social work interventions in Brazilian schools.

Practice in a Pandemic: School Social Workers’ Adaptations and Experiences During the 2020 COVID-19 School Disruptions

In March 2020, as American PreK-12 schools shut down and moved into online learning in response to the global COVID-19 pandemic, there was little information about how school social workers (SSWs) were responding to the crisis. This study used a national online survey to understand how SSWs ( N = 1,275) adapted their school practice during the initial 2020 COVID-19 crisis. Findings from this study indicate that SSWs made swift and (relatively) smooth adaptations of their traditional practice role to the new context, though not without reporting considerable professional stress and personal challenges doing so. SSWs reported significant concerns about their ability to deliver effective virtual school social work services given their students’ low motivation and lack of engagement with online learning, as well as significant worries about how their students were faring during the first months of the pandemic. Implications for school social work practice, policy, and research are discussed.

Recommendation of School Social Work Activities to Address Students Issues in Vietnam

Bullying and physical violence, truancy, self-harm and other mental health issues are increasingly experienced within the school population. In being a crucial part of addressing such issues and the more traditional areas of poverty, family relationships and parenting, child abuse and neglect, home-school relationships, support for children with disabilities, school social work has become a specialist area of professional practice with a growing evidence base of effectiveness. This paper aims to explore issues related to middle-school students in Vietnam and their needs in school social work activities to address those problems. Implications for school social work research and practice which are recognized as a key area for students’ wellbeing are discussed.

An exploration of teachers’ perceptions of Syrian students in Turkey and implications for school social work

Low rates of school enrolment emerge as a significant problem among Syrian students in Turkey; however, enrolment in the school brings about new challenges not only for the Syrian refugee students but also for Turkish students and their teachers. In order to address this issue, this study aims to depict the perceived problems experienced by Syrian and Turkish students and their teachers. In the scope of the study, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 13 primary and secondary school teachers to gather their perceived opinion on the issue. The findings are discussed within the context of school social work interventions.

Mamae Nui me te Takiwātanga: Surplus suffering and autism spectrum disorder in school social work practice

INTRODUCTION: This research investigates social work interventions available for Social Workers based in primary schools in Aotearoa New Zealand, to address surplus suffering related to autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The aim of this research is to explore possible interventions by reviewing literature, and investigating the practice of professionals, in order to discern the best possible practice. The research questions that will be investigated are: 1) How do social workers in primary schools address the surplus suffering of students?; and 2) What interventions are employed when working with children on the spectrum? There is limited relevant literature; however, the published material suggests that most social workers in schools who work with children on the spectrum employ social-ecological perspectives.METHOD: Qualitative methodologies have been employed, focusing on semi-structured interviews that were designed to answer the pre-set questions while also taking note of other concepts and ideas raised by the interviewees. This study has employed social-ecological theory, as well as social theories of disability.FINDINGS: This research has found that, while social workers employ social-ecological interventions readily, they are reluctant to engage in potentially beneficial therapeutic techniques.IMPLICATIONS: The implications suggested by this research are the need for diversification in social work training, and the need for further research to discern the best school social work practice.

Pivoting during a Pandemic: School Social Work Practice with Families during COVID-19

The COVID-19 global pandemic led to the unprecedented shuttering of nearly all K–12 public education settings across the United States from March through June 2020. This article explores how school social workers’ roles, responsibilities, and work tasks shifted during spring 2020 distance learning to address the continuing and changing needs of families and the larger school community. Interviews were conducted with 20 school social workers in K–12 public schools, across three states, to understand the primary needs of children and families during the pandemic and to learn how school social workers can be most effective in responding to these needs. The data were analyzed using a grounded theory approach. Study findings revealed that during spring 2020, school social workers consistently had increased contact and interaction with students’ parents that centered around two major activities: (1) food assistance and referrals for families and (2) parent check-ins and coaching. The article discusses implications for the field of school social work during crises and beyond. Considerations include increased funding for schools that serve communities disproportionately affected by the pandemic and the reprioritization of school social workers’ roles and responsibilities to include increased contact with parents.