published_or_final_version / Social Work / Master / Master of Social Work

published_or_final_version / Social Work / Master / Master of Social Work

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The focus of this study was to develop an indigenous, relevant model of school social work for future practice in South Africa. This was accomplished by surveying policies governing school social work services, researching the nature and severity of problems experienced in schools, examining the scope of current school social work in addressing these problems/needs and finally producing a model on which future school social work practice could be based. The research methodology was chosen on the basis of progressing beyond the acquisition of knowledge, to application of this knowledge to the practice of school social work. The developmental research design as discussed by Thomas (1985a:488; 1985b:50) was viewed as serving the purposes of the study. In accord with this design, the study was divided into several phases - the analysis, development and evaluation phases. Two further phases are outlined by Thomas (1985a), viz. the diffusion and adoption phases, which would follow once the developed social technology has been further field tested and the results disseminated for adoption. During the analysis phase, current policies and school social work services in the various departments of education were examined. Problems in different schools in these department were also surveyed to gauge the effectiveness of services in dealing with these problems. Results revealed that current school social work practice and policies do not meet the needs of schools. During the development phase, a changed emphasis in service provision was advocated through the adoption of service methods to complement a casework focus. In this regard, community school, school change and social interaction functions were advocated. An ecological model, derived from ecological and systems theories, was recommended as offering scope for a changed emphasis to ensure that services were comprehensive and relevant. This emphasis focused on achieving a goodness of fit between the individual and the environment by intervening at different systemic levels, depending on where deficits or dysfunction existed. Thereby, intervention could be directed at micro, mezzo, exo or macro systemic levels. In a feasibility study, conducted during the analysis phase of the study, this model was found to be appropriate and practical for future use. If school social workers practise an ecological model, then their services would be cost effective since both a preventive and therapeutic bias would be accommodated. Children would also be assured of support services that prevent problems, that facilitate the role of the educator in comprehensive education and that intervene timeously in respect of problems and needs. Recommendations in respect of accommodating a changed focus of intervention included changes in policies to promote the use of the ecological model, the education and training of social workers in acquiring knowledge and skills congruent with the use of an ecological paradigm, training of educationists to include knowledge of the service to facilitate teamwork and referral, preliminary tasks to be undertaken prior to service provision, a unitary education department to serve all children equally irrespective of colour or creed, and research to be undertaken with education personnel as a joint endeavour to encourage the establishment of the service. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of Durban-Westville, 1993.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2006. / Adviser: Steven Sek-yum Ngai. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.S.W.) -- Memorial University of Newfoundland. / Typescript. Bibliography : leaves 121-131. Also available online.

Bibliography: leaves 108-117. / Literature research has indicated that school social work is a relatively new branch of general social work. The role of the school social worker is the main focus of literature in this field. The school social worker's role is continually changing and adapting as society and school systems change The primary purpose of this study is to investigate the perceptions of the pupils, parents and teachers with regard to the school social worker's role within a particular school setting. The current awareness of the social worker's role and function, is examined in as far as it affects the effective use of the social work service. A literature survey was undertaken, after which a close-ended questionnaire was constructed and administered to all pupils and all teachers, and a close-ended questionnaire mailed to all parents of the particular school. A descriptive analysis of the findings reveals that clarification is needed amongst pupils, teachers and parents in terms of the purpose, function and roles of the school social worker, and of the methods of social work employed. A disparity is reflected with regard to the issue of confidentiality, where the findings indicated that pupils are more concerned with confidentiality issues than the parents and teachers. The main recommendations made are with regard to compiling a booklet clarifying the roles and functions of the mental health professionals in the school. A policy with regard to confidentiality is recommended.

Submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Department of Social Work in the Faculty of Arts at the University of Zululand, 2004. / This stucly set out to investigate the possibility of school social work intervention as an institutional structure in South African schools with special reference to the Durban, Empangeni and Pietermaritzburg education areas where the writer carried out the empirical observation. The justification or the investigation was strengthened by the double factors of globalisation and fast increasing technology transfer throughout the world- The study regarded the multiplicity of social, financial and other problems plaguing communities in South Africa as a given. Against this background, the question asked was whether, given the reality of these factors inhibiting the intellectual and vocatipnal development of school going children, educational provision for social work intervention as it obtains at the moment, was adequate to equip the younger generation to fit gainfully in a highly competitive and fast changing global market. ln terms of methodological orientation, the study was both exploratory and descriptive in nature. It employed both qualitative and quantitative methods including interviews and focused groups. The sample was divided into two phases. The respondents in phase one were educators and education managers. The respondents in phase two were social workers and social work managers from the Department of Welfare as well as non-governmental organizations CNGO's). For this study two interview schedules were used to obtain data. One was for Educators and Education Managers and the other was for Social Workers and Social Work Managers. The findings of this study are revealing in their disclosure. They reveal that the child could benefit from a developmental perspective in school social work, as this perspective would discourage dependency, and promote parental involvement and that of other sections of the community having a vested interest in the school. The findings of this study give ample indication that given the situation of South Africa within a fast changing global economy, the introduction of, as well as adequate provisioning for school social work intervention would be a well placed structural improvement in the South African schooling system. Somewhat disturbing though was the finding that educators were not making adequate use of social Work services (where available in referring children with social problems to social work agencies). In turn the agency social workers were'unable to attend speedily to children's social problems because of their heavy case loads. With this in the background, the recommendation for the insti'tutionalisation of school social work is no longer of legislative choice but an existential imperative.

Thesis (M.S.W.)--University of Hong Kong, 1979.

Thesis (M.S.W.)--University of Hong Kong, 1987.