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Written by Marissa Jordaan with contributions from Mollie Kemp, Rochshana Kemp, Marelize Vergottini and Edmarie Pretorius on behalf of South Africa's National Committee on School Social Work Education and Practice (NACOSSWEP)

Once upon a time…

Researchers identified the need to include school social workers in the South African education system more than 40 years ago and Professor H. Rocher was a pioneer of laying the foundation for school social work. Since the first democratic elections in South Africa in 1994, many policies implemented by the Department of Basic Education have acknowledged the role of the social worker within the multidisciplinary team in the education system.

Wish upon a star…

In South Africa, there are a significant number of learners who are unable to attend school regularly and perform optimally due to the impact of poverty, child abuse, violence, loss and other societal barriers. They are in dire need of care and support and schools often serve as the only place where that can be realized for them. Social workers who render services at schools play a key role in these learners’ access to holistic support, which may include arranging a daily meal, accessing grants, providing therapy, and supporting the family through parental guidance and assistance in accessing services and resources. This multidisciplinary intervention is in line with the Southern African Development Community’s Framework for Care and Support for Teaching and Learning (CSTL) in education.

From dreams to reality…

As a result of this growing need for care and support in schools, social workers are increasingly being employed by the Department of Basic Education in some provinces in their school programmes. Each social worker then serves a cluster of schools, while some are placed in special schools. Some school governing bodies are also taking it upon themselves to employ social workers directly, to serve their school community. 

The day-to-day reality…

The focus of social work interventions in schools includes prevention, crisis intervention, networking for resources, restorative justice in disciplinary action with the overall aim of providing care and support to school communities within a multidisciplinary team. Social workers are actively involved in removing learning barriers so that children can live, learn and develop to their full potential. With COVID-19 fresh in our minds and in our lives, the psycho-social needs of learners in our schools have increased and some resources have decreased.

A beacon of hope…

The number of social workers who are being employed by the Departments of Basic Education and of Social Development, as well as by school governing bodies, is increasing exponentially. School social work is in the process of being acknowledged as an area of specialization in South Africa. In June 2015, the National Association of Social Work established a National Committee on School Social Work Education and Practice (NACOSSWEP) to focus on school social work specialization, education and knowledge development, as well as on development of practice models, practice standards and programmes. This committee has already done the necessary work for the specialization to become a reality. Draft regulations pertaining to the specialization were published for comments and we are currently eagerly awaiting the outcome of this process. One of our Universities, the University of the Witwatersrand (WITS) in Johannesburg, has offered a Master’s in Social Work in the field of School Social Work since 2021, and a short course in School Social Work since 2017, with two other Universities in the development phase of similar courses. It is our hope that, as this specialization is formalized, it would lead to a greater impact in terms of individual lives, as well as broader developmental goals!

También disponible en español.

1. Please tell us a little bit about yourself.

I live in Chiquimula, Guatemala. I am married and have three beautiful children, two boys and one girl. I really enjoy spending time with my family, going on walks in the countryside and spending time with friends. I also enjoy reading books to help me grow as a person.

2. Tell us about the community or area where you work. What are the main issues or problems the community faces?

I currently work in the municipalities of Zacapa, Río Hondo and Usumatlán in the Zacapa region of Guatemala. I coordinate with municipal and community authorities to establish support networks, involving community leaders and local authorities, focused on promoting family care and protecting children and adolescents from unnecessary family separation. 

In the time that I have been part of “Changing the Way We Care” and with my previous experience in this area of work, I have noticed an absence of social actors working to protect families, despite the noticeable socioeconomic conditions making them vulnerable and the exposure of adolescents to risk factors that may affect their personal development.

I believe that local authorities and governments can do much more to strengthen families by facilitating access to services and improving their living conditions, thus reducing the risk of unnecessary family separation.

Three children’s shelters (known as protection homes) operate in the area where I work, with whom we maintain close coordination in order to promote the reunification of the children from the shelters with their families.

3. How long have you been working in this profession and what motivated you to train as a social worker, psychologist, or another profession that provides social care?

In February 2005, I began to work on social issues, providing support to families vulnerable to food insecurity, paying special attention to families with children under five years of age.

I decided to study social work, realizing that it is a profession that contributes to the wellbeing of families, especially those that reside in rural areas.

4. What type of professional training did you receive? 

At a technical level, I received training at the Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala in community development management. This included training on managing comprehensive community development processes, with an emphasis on social development.

At the undergraduate level, I studied at the Universidad de Rafael Landívar, graduating with a degree in social work with an emphasis on development management. Although my two areas of study were different, the approach was similar, both focusing on directing, coordinating and leading development processes for Guatemala

5. Please describe the work you currently do and the main functions of your role.

My main roles are to carry out institutional coordination, to promote the strengthening of the protection system for families and communities, and to prevent unnecessary family separation. I create support networks for children and adolescents at the community, municipal and departmental levels, involving and empowering authorities and community and municipal leaders. I also carry out procedures that promote the economic development of families at risk of unnecessary separation.

 6.  What aspects of your current job or role do you like the most?

In general, I find all of my work interesting, and I enjoy all aspects of it because it is all focused on building a better reality for families and for society in general. But I most enjoy my work that involves establishing agreements that ensure a better protection system for children and adolescents.

7.  What are the main challenges you face in your current role and how do you work to resolve them?

I believe that one of the greatest challenges is to achieve a common goal among the different actors involved in child protection, because everyone has different objectives in their roles. But by raising awareness about the importance and benefits of the work, a common goal can be achieved, and changes can be made in the different communities, municipalities and government departments.

8.  Is there anything else you would like to share with us?

My work is a blessing from God, because I do the work that I enjoy, and I receive a salary. My job is also a way to serve families and create better living conditions for children and adolescents. I hope that in the short and medium term the Changing the Way We Care program can expand its coverage area to increase the number of families who benefit from its services.

L’UNICEF travaille avec le Gouvernement congolais pour créer un environnement protecteur et assurer la sécurité des enfants les plus vulnérables.

Publié à l'origine sur le site Web de l'UNICEF République Démocratique du Congo. Aussi disponible en anglais.

Au Centre d’Accueil d’Urgence de Bandalungwa, une vingtaine d’enfants forment une ronde autour de leur encadreur et discutent des bonnes pratiques de vie en communauté. Ces enfants ont des parcours différents et pourtant très similaires puisqu’il y a quelques jours encore, la majorité d’entre eux vivaient dans les rues de la ville de Kinshasa.

Ketia, 16 ans, a vécu dans la rue durant un an avec sa mère avant que cette dernière ne décède. La jeune fille s’est alors retrouvée seule dans la rue et a été confrontée quotidiennement aux abus et à des violences qui ont conduit à sa grossesse précoce. Ce sont des anciens enfants des rues, formés pour devenir des travailleurs para-sociaux, qui ont identifié et orienté la jeune fille vers les services de santé. 

Au centre, les enfants sont mis à l’abri de la rue et de la maltraitance durant un mois avant d’être réunifiés avec leurs familles ou orientés vers des familles d’accueil ou des centres d’hébergement à durée indéterminée. Selon leurs envies et leurs projets d’avenir, tous les jeunes encouragés à poursuivre leur apprentissage ou commencer une formation professionnelle. 

Pensant pouvoir aider à subvenir aux besoins de sa famille, Richard a quitté la ville de Tshikapa à l’âge de 12 ans pour trouver du travail à Kinshasa. Isolé, le jeune garçon a rapidement été victime d'exploitation économique dans la capitale congolaise. Suite à un processus de recherche familiale, Richard sera réunifié avec ses parents à Tshikapa et continuera d’être accompagné par des travailleurs para-sociaux sur place.

L’UNICEF accompagne le Ministère des Affaires Sociales, Action Humanitaire et Solidarité Nationale dans la mise en place des mécanismes de protection des enfants. L’année passée, deux centres d’accueil ont été mis en place à Kinshasa et plus de 3.000 enfants y ont été accueillis grâce à l’appui du Gouvernement canadien.

A new technical note, developed by the Global Social Service Workforce Alliance and UNICEF, finds that violence against children and other child protection concerns can be addressed more effectively when social service workers are integrated into school structures.

“Children spend a significant amount of time each day in school, making it a space where child protection concerns often present themselves, and giving school-based staff a vital frontline role in identification and response,” explains Stephen Blight, Senior Advisor for Child Protection at UNICEF.

“When appropriately capacitated, resourced and supported, social service workers located in or working with schools can play a major role in addressing concerns related to violence, abuse and neglect, mental health, and psychosocial well-being,” Blight continues.

The technical note, which included a review of evidence across the globe, finds that teachers and school administrators usually have primary responsibility for reporting child protection concerns, but in many countries, they do not have the training and support, or time, to recognize signs and symptoms of abuse or violence, to record concerns, or to make referrals. In fact, studies have shown that teachers in different contexts tend to under-report child abuse due to lack of knowledge about the signs and symptoms of abuse, unclear reporting procedures and fear of making inaccurate reports.

While it is recommended that teacher and administrator training and support remain a central component of child protection within schools, child protection and well-being concerns can be addressed more effectively if the responsibility is shared with social service workers. Properly trained and supported social service workers can work with teachers and administrators to establish an overall protective climate and culture in schools that is safe, non-violent and inclusive. They can also provide intensive and specialized support for at-risk students. They can also connect interventions at school with the wider child protection system and effectively follow-up on child protection concerns when making external referrals and collaborating with other agencies.

Research for this technical note found that over 50 countries in different parts of the world have a designated role of school social worker, but they use very different models of school social work. In the United Arab Emirates, all public schools have assigned social workers, at two levels: a social worker handles promotive and preventative work and manages ‘low-risk’ issues, while ‘high-risk’ issues are referred to a child protection specialist who has the legal authority to visit homes and intervene to protect a child from imminent danger. In Ecuador, the “Departamentos de Consejeria Estudiantil”, or DECE, work within educational institutions to ensure the protection and well-being of students. DECEs are composed of interdisciplinary teams, which include social workers, and have the responsibility to provide referrals and follow-up for students affected by violence within the school and/or community. In Mongolia, a provision for school social work was included in the ‘Law on Child Protection’ when it was amended in 2003. The ministry of education produced a job description for school social workers, assigning them a range of duties that include policy development, provision of parenting education, assessment and referrals, counselling, response to domestic violence allegations and more general family welfare tasks.

In other contexts, the key source of support for students is the role of school-based counsellor. In many countries, this role has expanded from supporting students’ academic and career development, to incorporate supporting students’ mental health and well-being. For example, in Jordan, the role of school-based counsellor includes running mental health programs for children and providing follow-up for cases of children found to be particularly at risk. In Bhutan, the ministry of education builds the capacity of school counsellors by equipping them with the knowledge and skills to prevent, recognize and respond to violence against children. Efforts are also being made to integrate child protection in residential schools, monasteries and nunneries where children live and learn, to ensure that children who are particularly vulnerable, because they are living outside of parental care, are not overlooked.

Unfortunately, a majority of low- and middle-income countries currently lack long-term programmes for involving the social service workforce in schools, whether that be as school social workers or school counsellors. In such countries, there is a need to advocate for the social service workforce to become integrated within schools, and for the key role that the social service workforce can play in schools to be recognized by ministries of education. Ministries of social welfare and ministries of education also need to work together to ensure the integration of the workforce within education. They should combine their efforts to ensure that social service workers’ role in schools is formalized and reinforced through   appropriate training, development of professional standards, and ensuring workers in these roles are licensed or certified. Legislation is also needed that defines and mandates the role of the social service workforce in schools.

Where there are few if any formal professional development programs for the social service workforce, and so a shortage of qualified social workers, social pedagogues of psychologists, staff or volunteers can be equipped to take on para professional social service roles in schools, through suitable on the job training and supervision. This can help build capacity for meeting students’ social and emotional needs and preventing violence in schools. The ‘barefoot social worker model’ introduced in China, is one such example, in which local community members with a basic level of education and knowledge of social work and child protection, are trained and supported to provide essential, community-based child welfare services.

Read the technical note for the full scope of services that the social service workforce, if sufficiently resourced and supported, can provide working in or with schools, and which school administrators and leaders need to support in order to more effectively address child protection concerns.