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This qualitative study collected the first-known responses from former child welfare-involved youth detailing their experiences of participating in child welfare interviews at school. Ten participants answered semi-structured interview questions about their school interview experiences in this phenomenological qualitative study. Five themes provided a shared understanding of participants having child welfare interactions introduced into their school life. The themes were not knowing how to prepare, difficulties interacting with the child welfare worker, expectations for support from school staff, dealing with the cognitive impact, and suggestions for improving child welfare interviews at school. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Schools play a crucial in the lives of children, families and communities and are increasingly used by social work programmes in England for practice learning. This qualitative study involved in-depth semi structured interviews with ten social work students who had undertaken at least one placement in a school in England. The aim of this study was to understand social work students’ experiences of placements in schools and to explore the benefits and challenges associated with school-based placements. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, manually coded and analyzed for broad themes. The findings indicate a lack of clarity about the roles and tasks expected of student social workers in schools and highlights some benefits for children and families. Implications for social work education and practice are identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Beginning in 1906, the teachers who developed the profession of school social work conducted home visits to bridge communication between the school and home. In the more than 100 years that the profession has continued, home visiting has remained a cornerstone. Despite its continued importance, there remains a lack of comprehensive instruction on how to conduct effective home visits within higher education or professional development programs. This article aims to address this gap by acknowledging the limited research focused specifically on home visiting in school social work and consults the broader home visiting research, applying it to the unique setting of school social work. This article will delve into the purpose and benefits of home visiting, strategies for effective data collection during visits, cultural competencies necessary for fostering productive outcomes, and safety considerations for school social workers. Through this exploration, this article's authors aim to provide valuable insights and guidance for school social workers striving to enhance their practice and strengthen connections between schools and families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

School social work (SSW) roles are often surrounded by ambiguity across schools, districts, states, and nationally. The School Social Work Association of America's National Practice Model and National Evaluation Framework, along with the National Association of Social Workers' Standards for School Social Work Services are the guidance provided at the national level for practitioners and scholars alike. This study examined each of these pieces to thoroughly understand existing critical components of SSW practice. Comparing and analyzing these critical components across all three resources through systematic content analysis led to findings that illuminate the limited shared components. This call for action—to unify SSW practice models and frameworks in a way to prescribe justice-oriented work—comes from these findings, which indicate that current national-level resources are disjointed, incohesive, and lack focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion practices, which are the foundational values of the social work profession. A unified framework would not only represent the current challenges and needs of SSW practitioners, but would also help establish clear roles, responsibilities, and boundaries for SSW practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Through its constitution, South Africa has declared provision of high-quality education to all citizens is a human right. However, violence, bullying and poverty threaten to impede, if not preclude attainment of this goal. This voice from practice highlights social work interventions that provide psychosocial support to learners to tackle the challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Society & Social Work is the property of Journal of Society and Social Work and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

School-based support services (SSS) professionals include social workers, counsellors and pastoral care teachers who assess and intervene upon issues affecting students' well-being and academic success. However, SSS are seldom foregrounded in the psycho-socialisation processes of schooling, particularly as a site of interprofessional practice. Drawing on observational fieldwork in three Hong Kong schools, this study illustrates how SSS professionals assess and intervene upon an assemblage of risk concerns: students' behaviours, afflictions and academic performance. By advancing the concept of psy-curriculum, this study examines the historical and structural conditions that shape contemporary SSS provision. Crucially, the psy-curriculum bridges the clinical practices of SSS with issues that concern inequity and anti-oppressive practice. This has implications for theorising the provision of interprofessional practice in schools, and the intersectoral policies (education, social welfare and health/mental health) that shape how SSS enact particular psychosocial interventions to support students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of European Journal of Social Work is the property of Routledge and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The sexual economy prevalent within universities, as well as how young people perceive, interpret, and experience their sexuality, present complex dynamics, which, if not handled with great emotional intelligence, may disrupt their educational aspirations. This paper investigates the psycho-social implications of “semester marriages” within institutions of higher learning. Guided by principles of the qualitative approach and the theory of planned action, the paper disinterred that students experienced intense regret and guilt as a result of backstreet abortions. Soul-tie complications emanating from sharing the “wife-husband” bond also made it difficult for some students to move on after a breakup, leading to disruptions in their educational focus. In extreme cases, such an inability to deal with the adverse effects of “semester marriages” culminated in crimes of passion. The paper desists from pathologizing the “semester marriages” phenomenon and advocates for the strengthening of psycho-social support modalities within university settings to increase the accessibility and visibility of therapeutic services through a school social work model. Furthermore, universities, in partnership with other relevant stakeholders, are urged to prioritize sexual and reproductive education and services among the youth as provided for in the Constitution of Zimbabwe of 2013 to impart life skills that can equip students to make informed sexual and reproductive decisions.

As the need for school social work (SSW) practitioners increases, more research may be useful to understand how roles and practices are shaped and how this differs from their perceptions of essential practice. To understand the roles and functions of SSW, a survey of nine critical components was developed through an evaluation of national association's standards that offer guidance for SSW practice. Survey respondents (N = 318) consisted mostly of SSW practitioners (85%), evaluated nine critical components: advocacy, building capacity, home-school liaison, multi-tier system of support, navigating school settings, professional values, service delivery, social work theory, use of data and evidence, and suggested the addition of new essential components. The results focus on which practices are deemed essential and the frequency of performing these tasks. We conclude with implications of practice essentiality and frequency discussed across the nine critical component domains, offering suggestions for future research, education, training, and professional development of SSW practitioners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sexual economy prevalent within universities, as well as how young people perceive, interpret, and experience their sexuality, present complex dynamics, which, if not handled with great emotional intelligence, may disrupt their educational aspirations. This paper investigates the psycho-social implications of "semester marriages" within institutions of higher learning. Guided by principles of the qualitative approach and the theory of planned action, the paper disinterred that students experienced intense regret and guilt as a result of backstreet abortions. Soul-tie complications emanating from sharing the "wife-husband" bond also made it difficult for some students to move on after a breakup, leading to disruptions in their educational focus. In extreme cases, such an inability to deal with the adverse effects of "semester marriages" culminated in crimes of passion. The paper desists from pathologizing the "semester marriages" phenomenon and advocates for the strengthening of psycho-social support modalities within university settings to increase the accessibility and visibility of therapeutic services through a school social work model. Furthermore, universities, in partnership with other relevant stakeholders, are urged to prioritize sexual and reproductive education and services among the youth as provided for in the Constitution of Zimbabwe of 2013 to impart life skills that can equip students to make informed sexual and reproductive decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 1990 (reauthorized in 2004 as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act) mandates that teachers include parents and guardians as partners in their child's education. Although these partnerships have been shown to help parents and teachers alike, they can also be experienced negatively by both parties, resulting in diminished outcomes for students, stress and frustration for parents, and burnout for teachers. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the experiences of teachers of students with disabilities when partnering with their students' parents. After conducting 10 semistructured interviews and using thematic analysis to analyze the data, author identified the following four themes: (1) yearning to be trusted, (2) embracing the paradox ("you can't take it personally"), (3) striving to access empathy, and (4) lacking training and support ("desperate for help"). Findings from this study indicate that teachers desire connection and collaboration with their students' parents but require more professional development and overall support to do so consistently and effectively. The article provides recommendations for specific areas where professional development may be particularly useful in repairing roadblocks to positive teacher and parent collaboration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the COVID-19 pandemic, special education social workers (SESWs) had to adapt to meet the needs of families and students rapidly. Traditionally SESWs delivered services through in-person modalities in schools. However, as the world changed overnight to comply with stay-at-home orders, these social workers found themselves in a unique position to utilize social work skills to mitigate the challenges of remote schooling, the mental health needs of students, and technology scarcity all while maintaining their dedication of service to students, families, and schools. The experience of SESWs as they navigated through the changes and challenges the pandemic caused was explored through in-depth interviews. Via thematic analysis, themes emerged regarding being unprepared, bridging communication (a high priority for mental health services), finding the missing, privacy, eagerness for in-person services, and technology scarcity. The study highlights SESWs' voices, experiences, and commitment to service. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: School social workers (SSWs) deliver case management (CM) services to connect students to an array of supports that meet their academic and non-academic needs. However, gaps exist in understanding the profiles of students receiving CM services delivered by SSWs, and the relationships between dosage and receipt of CM services and student outcomes. Method: Researchers utilized secondary data from three large middle schools to explore the demographics of students (N = 3,012) receiving CM services and students not receiving CM services. Among students receiving CM services (n = 238), binary and multinomial regression analyses explored relationships among students' demographic characteristics, dosage of CM services, and non-academic and academic outcomes. Student outcomes were also compared among a demographically matched subsample of 181 students receiving CM services and 181 students not receiving CM services. Results: Students receiving CM services were more likely to be at-risk, Hispanic/Latino, and limited English proficiency status than students not receiving CM services. Regression analyses indicated a higher dosage of CM services was associated with higher odds of receiving two or more behavioral referrals and failing 60% or more courses. Moreover, among a demographically matched subsample, students receiving CM services were significantly more likely to have two or more behavioral referrals and fail 60% or more courses than students not receiving CM services. Discussion: Our findings suggest SSWs provide CM services to students with significant academic and behavioral risks. We discuss the implications of our results concerning SSW practice, education, research, and policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social determinants of health (SDOH) are nonmedical factors (e.g., poverty) that have an influence on health and development. Early childhood education settings, such as preschools, play a dual role in children's well-being; high quality is considered both a social determinant of health and a context for receiving referrals to address other SDOH. The current study examines reports of SDOH among a sample of 139 preschool teachers recruited from a Mountain West state. Reported prevalence of SDOH were rated as higher by teachers with more familiarity with SDOH, teachers in public/Head Start schools (vs. private schools), and assistant teachers (vs. lead teachers). Teachers who were more familiar with SDOH and who reported a higher prevalence of SDOH in their classrooms were more likely to refer students to resources to address SDOH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Special Treatment / Különleges Bánásmód is the property of University of Debrecen and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Sozial Extra is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This paper highlights the role of school social workers and other school-based mental health professionals in postvention activities, supports and services provided by the school following a student's suicide death. Reflecting the traumatic nature of the unexpected death of a student in the school community, the described postvention activities use SAMHSA's trauma-informed principles to frame the school's decision-making, actions, and supports for youth. Although best practice guidelines are available, most social workers have little training or practice experience in these types of services. This paper uses the authors' practice experiences supporting schools following a suicide death, postvention guidelines, and trauma-informed principles to describe a social worker's role in supporting students, staff, and the community following a death. A case study is used to illustrate this approach and provide a deeper understanding of a social worker's role following an unexpected death. This paper can support social workers in learning more about postvention needs, considering their role in postvention services, and framing a suicide death as an experience needing a trauma-informed response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Throughout the course of a school day, school social workers collaborate as team members but also work in isolation to assess, intervene, and engage students and their families in addressing the social-emotional, behavioral, and mental health needs that affect student academic outcomes. In performing their roles and responsibilities, school social workers engage in navigating complex situations and must rely on their professional identity. Engaging in self-reflection allows them to recognize their strengths; acknowledge the influence of their personal and professional values on their thoughts, feelings, and actions; and address gaps in their knowledge and skills. This article will provide school social work interns, practitioners, field instructors, and educators with two self-reflective tools to include in their practice that can be implemented weekly or as situations occur. It will also illustrate how these tools may be used throughout the education, training, and practice of a school social worker. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

National certification has been available for most school professionals, including teachers, school counselors, and school psychologists, for a number of years. It provides opportunities for candidates to demonstrate that they have met the highest standards in their profession. Because school social workers play an important role in schools, the School Social Work Association of America (SSWAA) developed a national certification for school social workers as a means for school social workers to demonstrate excellence and recognize their contributions to youth, families, and schools. The purpose of this qualitative study was to determine the major reasons why school social workers pursue national certification. The initial group of candidates for certification consisted of thirty-six school social workers. Findings of this study indicated that the primary motivations for pursuing national certification included opportunities for achieving personal and professional growth, advancing the profession, demonstrating leadership, and expanding professional networks. This article suggests ways that school administrators, school social work researchers, and SSWAA can contribute to the sustainability of national certification for school social workers and support practitioners in pursuing national certification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of European Journal of Social Work is the property of Routledge and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Czech & Slovak Social Work / Sociální Práce / Sociálna Práca is the property of Czech & Slovak Social Work and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This conceptual paper explores the integration of Ubuntu philosophy in the school social work practice in South Africa, suggesting a transformative framework to enhance social work practice in a school setting based on the principles of interconnectedness, compassion and community. Drawing from critical social work theories, cultural humility, and restorative justice, the study explores the potential benefits of incorporating Ubuntu in addressing the diverse needs of students. Using a narrative literature review methodology, EBSCOhost and Google Scholar search engines were utilised to retrieve scientific literature. The study underscores the importance of cultural competence, community engagement, and restorative practices in shaping interventions. Significantly, the study contributes to a growing body of literature on culturally responsive social work practices, providing insights that can inform transformative approaches to school social work in South Africa and potentially beyond. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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.

This article analyzes the discursive constructions of boys and strategies for working with them in the field of school social work. Building upon a subjectivation theoretical framework, these discourses are reconstructed based on interviews with social workers at German elementary schools by the SKAD (sociology of knowledge approach to discourse) research program. Three subject positionings were identified: Boys were positioned as (1) caught up in aggression; (2) naturally deviating from school rules; or (3) sitting on the sidelines. Overall, it was observed that school social work primarily focused on norm deviations and transgressions, while a general orientation towards masculinity norms was rarely challenged. This analysis offers insights into the inherent ambivalence of subject discourses on boys in the field of school social work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Istanbul Gelisim University Journal of Health Sciences / İstanbul Gelişim Üniversitesi Sağlık Bilimleri Dergisi is the property of Istanbul Gelisim Universitesi Saglik Bilimleri Yuksekokulu and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This article presents the use of simulation-based learning (SBL) for master-level school social work students at a public university in the Midwest. Findings based on the use of four schoolspecific case scenarios and subsequent focus group discussions suggest that live simulations can serve as a model to engage students by presenting curricula in a relevant and experiential fashion. SBL supported the creation of new meaning and understanding of school social work practice that students will eventually integrate into their own practice. Findings support the integration of simulations in the classroom as an effective pedagogical approach for school social work instruction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID‐19 pandemic brought dramatic changes in schooling in the United States and across the world, including abrupt shifts to remote learning, immediate cessation of social contact, intensive family engagement in education and diminished school capacity for social–emotional supports. While the initial national lockdown was temporary, the long‐lasting effects of the pandemic on society are still being revealed. This study contributes to a growing body of research exploring and documenting shifts in school social work practice in the United States during the COVID era. We used qualitative methods to explore how school social workers (SSWers) practised family engagement during the pandemic and their perceptions of the benefits and challenges of increased family engagement. Analysis of interviews with 20 SSWers from three US states (Colorado, Minnesota and Nevada) revealed five primary themes: reasons for family engagement, ways of engaging with families, frequency of family contact, challenges in engaging families and SSWers' attitudes and perceptions about family engagement. Results indicated a need for a comprehensive, organized and strategic family engagement plan in schools as we move into the post‐acute phases of the pandemic. Future research should explore how SSWers may serve as leaders in the development of such plans and how interprofessional practice might advance this agenda further. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we theorize toxic white femininities as a performance and persona in school social work. To develop the theory and analytic tool of "toxic white femininities," we used critical discourse analysis to analyze school social work professional association materials from 1906 to 1936. Our analysis isolated three performances of toxic white femininities in early 1900s school social work: (1) the exclusionary social and material gains of "her" professionalization, (2) "her" reinforcement of racial-gender-class hierarchies, and (3) "her" strategic use of helper identity to mask social control. We trace how these performances coalesced into a collective professional persona, operating beyond the scope of individual practitioners. This persona institutionalized a racialized-gendered professional identity, presented in the archives as a universal "she"—white, middle class, and feminine. With private funding from white elites in the early 20th century, school social workers—constructed discursively as white women—would become the "right" profession to shape the lives of young people and guard the privileges of whiteness. We close with a discussion of "her" long shadow and contemporary performances, outlying the ways toxic white femininities operate as a form of incremental violence impacting the profession and social services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

School social work is a specialized area of clinical social work practice. Like any aspect of social work, it can be: at its best, used to support and uplift students, families and communities; and at its worst, used to oppress children, youth and their caregivers in both obvious and tacit ways. School social workers need to develop critical consciousness and think critically about their positionality within these institutions, as they have a voice and role in shaping social justice and well-being in schools. This paper reflects upon the notion of decolonization and its meanings within elementary and secondary school contexts, particularly as it relates to students from minoritized groups and cultures. I examine the ways in which school social workers may be drawn into becoming complicit in dominant ideas about academic achievement, behaviors and development, based on my own experiences as a racialized person working in predominantly white spaces. Using the metaphor of a dance, school-based relationships are highlighted as a means to disrupt the systemic structures that are designed to maintain the status quo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Health Academics / Sağlık Akademisyenleri Dergisi is the property of Journal of Health Academics and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This conceptual paper examines the integration of Ubuntu philosophy into school social work practice in South Africa, proposing a transformative framework rooted in interconnectedness, compassion, and community. Drawing from critical social work theories, cultural humility, and restorative justice, the study explores the potential benefits of incorporating Ubuntu in addressing the diverse needs of students. Key findings highlight the positive impact on academic outcomes, community cohesion, and the creation of a more culturally responsive educational environment. The study emphasizes the importance of cultural competence, community engagement, and restorative practices in shaping interventions. Significantly, the study contributes to a growing body of literature on culturally responsive social work practices, providing insights that can inform transformative approaches to school social work in South Africa and potentially beyond.

Background: Tobacco use among school-going children is a significant public health concern worldwide. Studies on perception and knowledge about harmful effects of tobacco use among early adolescent children are limited. Aim: To assess the knowledge, attitude, and perception of tobacco use among rural and urban school-going early adolescent children. Methods: A cross-sectional study design was used. Using mixed method multi-stage sampling, a sample of 218 eighth grade students were selected randomly using the simple random technique from two government schools (rural and urban schools were chosen purposively), Udupi district, Karnataka. Data were collected using the questionnaire method. The Global Youth Tobacco Survey was used for the data collection. Descriptive statistics were used to express the data and Chi-square test and Fisher’s exact test were used to compare the categorical variables. Results: More than one-third (39%) of middle school children have used tobacco in the past. About 44% of boys felt guilty about their tobacco use. About two percent tried using other forms of tobacco products. Less than 1% of them had used tobacco more than once in the past 30 days. Urban children had significantly more knowledge about the harmful effects of tobacco use (p = .001), quitting tobacco (χ2 = 11.6, p = .008), and reasons for quitting tobacco use was, noticing anti-tobacco messages. More urban children think using tobacco makes boys more attractive (χ2 = 9.07, p = .01) and girls more attractive (χ2 = 10.80, p = .004). Conclusion: The prevalence of tobacco use was 1.5% among middle-school children in the last month. Urban school children have significantly more knowledge and awareness about the harmful effects of tobacco use than rural students.

This article describes the development of national certification for school social workers. The need for national certification emerged in the late 1990s, but many steps were required to establish this credential. These steps included developing a national practice model, documenting competencies outlined in this model, developing performance indicators that clearly describe what the competencies look like in practice, and creating a process for application. Although work began in 2003, national certification for school social workers did not launch until 2021. Now that national certification has become a reality, there is more work to be done. This article will describe those next steps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Both schools and caregivers play an important role in supporting children's mental health, but there are few mechanisms for caregivers and school-based mental health providers to work collaboratively to address children's needs. Closures of schools during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic left gaps in mental health support services to children and increased the burden on caregivers to ensure their children's well-being. In this study, investigators explored the feasibility and acceptability of a motivational interviewing-based program in which school-based mental health providers were trained to connect directly to caregivers to assist them in supporting key aspects of their children's well-being, including sleep, coping, and academic behavior. Results indicated a high degree of satisfaction with the program and a perception that it was helpful to caregivers and children. However, major challenges in recruitment of providers, as well as qualitative interviews with those providers who participated, indicated that the feasibility of implementing such a program is limited without significant additional implementation infrastructure. Findings suggest that structured support of caregivers, accessed through their children's schools, has high potential for improving child outcomes and family well-being. Future research should explore what implementation infrastructure is needed for schools to effectively offer these types of supports. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

School social workers are integral to the school mental health workforce and the leading social service providers in educational settings. In recent decades, school social work practice has been largely influenced by the multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS) approach, ecological systems views, and the promotion of evidence-based practice. However, none of the existing school social work reviews have examined the latest characteristics and outcomes of school social work services. This scoping review analyzed and synthesized the focuses and functions of school social workers and the state-of-the-art social and mental/behavioral health services they provide. Findings showed that in the past two decades, school social workers in different parts of the world shared a common understanding of practice models and interests. Most school social work interventions and services targeted high-needs students to improve their social, mental/behavioral health, and academic outcomes, followed by primary and secondary prevention activities to promote school climate, school culture, teacher, student, and parent interactions, and parents' wellbeing. The synthesis also supports the multiple roles of school social workers and their collaborative, cross-systems approach to serving students, families, and staff in education settings. Implications and directions for future school social work research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cyberbullying is considered a serious problem in recent decades in many nations, comprised of Vietnam. During the Covid - 19 pandemic, middle school students were one of cyberbullying victims whilst long - time learning online. Based on the literature analysis method, theory and reality research, purpose of recommending social work solutions so as to promote the efficiency of supporting cyberbullied middle school students, the author overviews domestic and foreign publications about social work supporting cyberbullied middle school students on 5 axes: The current circumstance of cyberbullying among students; The cultural and socio-economic impact on cyberbullying solves cyberbullying for middle school students; Policy and service system supports middle school students in countries; Support programs mitigate cyberbullying among students; The role of social work in supporting cyberbullied middle school students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Arts & Social Sciences (JASS) is the property of Sultan Qaboos University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Post-humanism and feminist new materialism offer insights for social work to engage with the mutually entangled relations of the material-social world. Although taking up these alternate knowledges challenges concepts such as human agency, long-held as fundamental within social work. In this paper, we engage with Karen Barad’s agential realist framework and the concepts of intra-action and response-ability to re-think agency in social work, not as a human-centred endeavour, but a dynamic, dispersed force which arises across human, nonhuman and more- than-human relations. Drawing on interview data from a study that explores school social work in the aftermath of earthquakes in Aotearoa New Zealand where concerns for children’s vulnerability were pervasive, we produce three vignettes which foreground the spaces, places, objects and bodies that emerge as agential enactments within these practice encounters. This performative analysis engages with the productive qualities of these material-discursive entanglements offering possibilities for invoking ‘response-able’, just social work practices within institutional power relations.

The effects of burnout on client service provision, organizational health, and individual well-being are increasingly a focus of social work research, particularly against the societal backdrop of the post-COVID-19 era. Children and their families rely on school social workers (SSWs) to meet increasingly pressing and common mental health needs. However, burnout may jeopardize not only SSWs' well-being, but also their collective ability to serve this vulnerable population. The current study captures SSW perspectives on burnout related to the following themes: SSW–administrator dynamics; role conflict and lack of role definition; presence of trauma in caseload; systemic challenges (including the subthemes of unrealistic workload, the desire for more interprofessional collaboration and social work–specific supervision, and limited resources); and the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Using these perspectives as a guide, policy recommendations are made to enhance interprofessional collaboration, clarify roles and responsibilities, and safeguard SSWs as "first responders" for children's mental health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this exploratory qualitative study was to understand the types of mental health supports described in school district reopening plans in one southeastern state, and to understand school social workers' involvement in developing these plans during the first full academic year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Publicly accessible school district reopening plans were collected from the 80 school districts in South Carolina, and 15 school social workers participated in virtual interviews. Out of the 80 school districts, 67 had reopening plans, and of those, only 43 percent mentioned mental health services and supports. Most school district reopening plans described Tier 1 universal prevention services and supports and a process for mental health assessment, identification, and referral. Fewer included Tier 2 early intervention and Tier 3 targeted and intensive services. Of the school social workers interviewed, only four were involved in helping to develop their school district reopening plans, and when involved, advocated for mental health services and supports for their students. The article concludes with a discussion of the study's implications for school social work practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bullying in schools can have detrimental effects on students' physical and psychological well-being, often resulting in long-lasting emotional scars. Addressing this issue is crucial in ensuring that school education remains a positive and nurturing experience for all students. Objectives of this study were to identify the prevalence of bullying in public schools, to analyse the bullying factor with the chance/risk of school dropout and to assess the prospects of school social work to solve the problem of bullying. The methodology of the study was based on convergent parallel design of mixed method approach. 47 male and 53 female students of grades 6 and 10 of public schools of Tehsil City, district Lahore were selected for quantitative research by using proportional stratified random sampling technique. Quantitative data was collected from the students and qualitative responses were gathered from the parents and teachers. Criteria for inclusion was poor grades and poor attendance of the students. Among a sample of 100 students, 36% indicated prevalence of bullying as a lot, while 43% reported that such behavior occurs sometimes. Of the surveyed students, 37% expressed fear of being bullying as a lot, while 35% disclosed that they experienced such fear sometimes. Binary logistic regression analysis indicates that students who face bullying in school has 1.31 times more chances to dropout from school as compared to those who do not face bullying. While qualitative data revealed that parents/teachers have neither resources, nor time or skills to deal with bullying in schools. This study proposes that education policy needs to acknowledge challenges faced by children and introduce school social work to help address these challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]