DELIVERY OF SCHOOL SOCIAL WORK IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS

Abstract

School social work experienced unprecedented growth in recent years. However little is known about the status and content of the practice. This study on the nature of practice explores and clarifies the key tasks, job dimensions and emphases of school social work practice, and documents the demographic profile and organisational context. The two delivery approaches, and the perceptions of practitioners and educators were also compared. A total of 98 respondents drawn from VWOs and secondary schools participated in this study. Findings suggest that there is a general agreement between the two delivery approaches, and between practitioners and educators on the nature of practice. Educational counselling with children was found to be the most important and frequently performed job dimension, while leadership and policy-making was the least important dimension, and was rarely performed. The results further suggest a strong traditional-clinical model of practice, with elements of the school-community-pupil relations model. The level of support and commitment was found to differ significantly between the two delivery approaches, and between the perceptions of practitioners and educators. Implications for practice and recommendations are discussed.