SOCIAL WORKERS’ IMPORTANCE IN SCHOOL OPERATIONS
Abstract
This research looked into the role of social workers in school operations in Ile Ife. The study’s total population is 200 staff members from a selected secondary school in Ile Ife. The researcher collected data using questionnaires as the instrument. This study used a descriptive survey research approach.
The survey included 133 respondents who were principals, vice principals, administrators, academic personnel, and non-academic employees. The acquired data was organized into tables and evaluated using simple percentages and frequencies.
Chapter One
Introduction
The study’s context
School social work emerged in the twentieth century as a result of immigration, life challenges, socioeconomic conditions, and poverty, all of which impacted the creation and expansion of educational possibilities for all children (Allen-Meares, 2006 & Agresta, 2004). During the 1930s, social workers refocused their prior dedication to improving poor conditions in schools and functioning as the link between family, school, and community;
as a result, school social workers sought a specialized position in providing emotional support for disturbed children (Hall, 1936). The title visiting teacher was supplanted in the 1940s and 1950s by the phrase school social worker, and the profession embraced a more therapeutic and clinical approach for individual children within schools (Agresta, 2004).
There is a debate in the history of special needs education about the distinction between human nature and its social environment. It is debated whether the child’s psycho-medical body or cultural conceptions of normalcy and deviance are the primary causes of special needs. The outcome of this debate determines whether the student or the educational institution becomes the primary site of intervention.
There are questions about who the actors are in this, despite the fact that it was initially the work of teachers, notably in the school environment. Social work is a career that promotes social change, problem-solving in human relationships, and people’s empowerment and liberation in order to improve their well-being. Social Workers intervene at the point where people engage with their settings, using social work practices and theories.
Human rights and social justice principles are central to social work (International Association of Schools of Social Workers – IASSW and International Federation of Social Workers – IFSW, 2001). Kang’ethe says in 2014 that social work is an important humanistic profession acknowledged as a reputable subject to address many vulnerabilities that individuals in society confront.
Social workers play an important part in a child’s social-emotional development. School Social Workers work with teachers, administrators, and parents to offer the best possible assistance for students to stay in school (Huang, 2017).
School Social Workers play a varied role, and there are numerous ways in which they can apply their knowledge, abilities, and values to improve the lives of students. Individual, group, and community social work skills must be integrated into the educational system, particularly when working with children with special needs. Schools hire Social Workers to help at-risk and special-needs kids.
The specific social work role in relation to these pupils differs from school to school and county to county. Some schools hire school Social Workers to work with many schools or with a single large population. School social workers have different functions and responsibilities, but four core tasks have been identified as being shared by all school Social Workers.
They consist of, but are not limited to: Consultation with others in the educational system as a team member They provide assessment in a number of positions including direct service, consultancy, and program creation. They work directly with children and parents in individual, group, and family settings, and they also help with program creation (Constable, Kuzmickaite, Harrison, & Volkmann, 1999).
What Social Workers perform is not well understood by the general public or the systems that provide social services. Some students pursuing a career in social work are also unaware of their duties after graduation. The function of advocacy is a critical obligation of social workers.
Statement of the problem
School Social Workers are certified mental health specialists who can help with mental health issues, behavioral issues, positive behavioral assistance, academic and classroom support, consultation with teachers, parents, and administrators, and individual and group counseling/therapy.
Some of the most significant issues that school social workers confront include not being able to fully fix the problems they see, working within a system that frequently lacks enough resources, and bearing the emotional weight of students and their families. Based on this context, the researcher want to look into the role of social workers in school operations.
The study’s objective
The study’s aims are as follows:
to determine the impact of a social worker on a student’s academic achievement
Determine the role of the social worker in assisting students to attain their goals.
To investigate student perceptions of social workers who assist students in accomplishing their goals.
To determine the significance of social workers in schools
Hypotheses for research
The following items have been proposed for testing:
H0: A social worker has no effect on a student’s academic achievement.
H1: A social worker has an effect on a student’s academic performance.
H0: There is no need for social workers in schools.
H1: The role of social workers in schools is significant.
The study’s importance
This study will provide a comprehensive understanding of the role of social workers in school operations in Ile Ife. The research will be extremely valuable to both students and the Ministry of Education. The report highlights the key tasks of social workers in schools as well as the obstacles they face. The study will also be used as a resource for other researchers who will be working on a similar topic.
The study’s scope and limitations
The study’s scope includes the role of social workers in school operations in Ile Ife.
The researcher comes upon a constraint that limits the scope of the investigation;
a) RESEARCH MATERIAL AVAILABILITY: The researcher’s research material is insufficient, restricting the scope of the investigation.
b) TIME: The study’s time frame does not allow for broader coverage because the researcher must balance other academic activities and examinations with the study.
FINANCIAL CONSTRAINTS- A lack of funds tends to hamper the researcher’s efficiency in locating relevant materials, literature, or information, as well as in the data gathering procedure (internet, questionnaire and interview).
TERM DEFINITION
SOCIAL WORKER: Social work is an academic subject and a profession that works with individuals, families, groups, and communities to improve social functioning and general well-being.
STUDENT: A student is primarily a person enrolled in a school or other educational institution who attends classes in a course to achieve the appropriate level of mastery of a subject under the supervision of an instructor and who devotes time outside of class to do whatever activities the instructor assigns that are required either for class preparation or to submit evidence of progress toward that mastery.
A student, in a larger sense, is anyone who devotes oneself to the intensive intellectual engagement with some issue required to master it as part of some practical business in which such mastery is fundamental or decisive.
GOALS: Life goals are big things to work for and achieve, including getting married and starting a family, starting your own business, becoming a big-time executive, or seeing the world.
SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKER: A school social worker is an important member of the school community, serving as a liaison between kids, parents, school personnel, and the school district.
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SOCIAL WORKERS’ IMPORTANCE IN SCHOOL OPERATIONS