The Roles and Responsibilities of School Social Workers in the African Context: A Scoping Review

The Roles and Responsibilities of School Social Workers in the African Context: A Scoping Review

Gift Khumalo , Nolwazi Ngcobo & Mbongeni Sithole

Issue: Vol.5 No.12 Special Issue Article 2 pp.16-39
DOI: https://doi.org/10.38159/ehass.20245122 | Published online 10th October, 2024
© 2024 The Author(s). This is an open access article under the CCBY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

73 Downloads

DOWNLOAD PDF

ABSTRACT

The profession of school social work has been acknowledged as being of critical importance on a global scale. However, little is known about the practice of school social work in the African context, specifically the roles and responsibilities of practitioners. This scoping review aimed to synthesize empirical studies conducted in the African continent on the roles and responsibilities of school social workers. Using Arksey and O’Malley’s (2005) five-step framework, the search for articles was completed on six electronic databases: Sabinet African Journals, Scopus, ProQuest Central, CINAHL, SocIndex, Medline, and Education Research Complete. Eight articles met the inclusion criteria and were analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings indicate that school social workers or social workers servicing schools are responsible for providing psychosocial support to learners experiencing social challenges; facilitating group work sessions focused on socialization and life skills; training and guiding teachers on ways to better support learners, developing and implementing school programs addressing issues such as bullying and teenage pregnancy; and forming partnerships with other professionals and organizations to support learners. This review concludes that there is a dearth of research dedicated to school social work or social work services in African schools. Future research on school social work should focus on unique challenges, best practices, and the impact of social work services in African schools. Governments and educational institutions should prioritize the integration of social work services within school systems. The review highlights the multifaceted roles practitioners play in creating supportive educational environments in African contexts.

Keywords: School Social Work, Africa, Roles, Responsibilities, Learners

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Al-Rasheed, Malak. “Resilience-Based Intervention for Youth: An Initial Investigation of School Social Work Program in Kuwait.” International Social Work 66, no. 3 (May 3, 2023): 655–73. https://doi.org/10.1177/00208728211018729.

Allen-Meares, Paula. “School Social Work.” In Encyclopedia of Social Work. NASW Press and Oxford University Press, 2013. https://doi.org/10.1093/acrefore/9780199975839.013.351.

———. “Social Work Services in Schools: A Look at Yesteryear and the Future.” Children & Schools 18, no. 4 (October 1996): 202–9. https://doi.org/10.1093/cs/18.4.1202.

Arksey, Hilary, and Lisa O’Malley. “Scoping Studies: Towards a Methodological Framework.” International Journal of Social Research Methodology 8, no. 1 (February 2005): 19–32. https://doi.org/10.1080/1364557032000119616.

Blanco, Dennis Vicencio, and Rogelio Alicor Panao. “Caring for the Orphan in the Philippines: A Policy-Capacity Review.” Child & Youth Services 40, no. 1 (2019): 65–92.

Braun, Virginia, and Victoria Clarke. “Toward Good Practice in Thematic Analysis: Avoiding Common Problems and Be(Com)Ing a Knowing Researcher.” International Journal of Transgender Health 24, no. 1 (January 25, 2023): 1–6. https://doi.org/10.1080/26895269.2022.2129597.

Bulanda, Jeffrey J, and Sulaiman Jalloh. “A Needs Assessment for School Social Workers in Sierra Leone.” International Social Work 62, no. 1 (January 11, 2019): 240–54. https://doi.org/10.1177/0020872817725144.

Chigondo, E. “A School Social Worker’s Perspective on the Need for Social Workers in Zimbabwe’s Schools.” Journal of Development Administration 4 (2019).

Department of Basic Education. Policy on Screening, Identification, Assessment, and Support. Pretoria: DBE, 2014.

Ding, Xiao, Estilla Lightfoot, Ruth Berkowitz, Samantha Guz, Cynthia Franklin, and Diana M. DiNitto. “Characteristics and Outcomes of School Social Work Services: A Scoping Review of Published Evidence 2000–June 2022.” School Mental Health 15, no. 3 (September 16, 2023): 787–811. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12310-023-09584-z.

Franco, Diana. “Trauma Without Borders: The Necessity for School-Based Interventions in Treating Unaccompanied Refugee Minors.” Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal 35, no. 6 (December 29, 2018): 551–65. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10560-018-0552-6.

Fukuda-Parr, Sakiko. “When Indicators Fail: SPAR, the Invisible Measure of Pandemic Preparedness.” Policy and Society 41, no. 4 (November 10, 2022): 528–40. https://doi.org/10.1093/polsoc/puac024.

Haffejee, Sadiyya, Sonia Mbowa, and Leila Patel. “An Integrated Multisectoral and Multidisciplinary Community of Practice Collaboration to Enhance Child Wellbeing in South Africa.” Journal of Integrated Care 31, no. 4 (December 6, 2023): 401–16. https://doi.org/10.1108/JICA-04-2023-0021.

Huxtable, M. “School Social Work: An International Profession.” Children & Schools 20, no. 2 (April 1, 1998): 95–109. https://doi.org/10.1093/cs/20.2.95.

Huxtable, M., and E. Blyth. “ School Social Work Worldwide.” National Association of Social Work, 2002.

Huxtable, Marion. “A Global Picture of School Social Work in 2013.” ERIC, 2013. https://eric.ed.gov/?q=Ag%3Bpbal+picture+of+school+social+work+in+2013&id=ED604915.

———. “A Global Picture of School Social Work in 2021.” International Journal of School Social Work 7, no. 1 (March 16, 2022). https://doi.org/10.4148/2161-4148.1090.

Ingutia, Rose, Anthony N. Rezitis, and John Sumelius. “Child Poverty, Status of Rural Women and Education in Sub Saharan Africa.” Children and Youth Services Review 111 (April 2020): 104869. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2020.104869.

Kelly, M. S. The Domains and Demands of School Social Work Practice: A Guide to Working Effectively with Students, Families and Schools. Oxford University Press, 2008.

Kelly, Michael S., Rami Benbenishty, Gordon Capp, Kate Watson, and Ron Astor. “Practice in a Pandemic: School Social Workers’ Adaptations and Experiences During the 2020 COVID-19 School Disruptions.” Families in Society: The Journal of Contemporary Social Services 102, no. 3 (July 22, 2021): 400–413. https://doi.org/10.1177/10443894211009863.

Kelly, Michael S., Andy Frey, Aaron Thompson, Heather Klemp, Michelle Alvarez, and Stephanie Cosner Berzin. “Assessing the National School Social Work Practice Model: Findings from the Second National School Social Work Survey.” Social Work 61, no. 1 (January 2016): 17–28. https://doi.org/10.1093/sw/swv044.

Khumalo, Gift. “Exploring the Psychosocial Challenges of Adolescent Learners: Opportunities for School-Based Psychosocial Support in Public Schools.” The International Journal of Health, Wellness, and Society 14, no. 2 (2024): 1–19. https://doi.org/10.18848/2156-8960/CGP/v14i02/1-19.

Kjellgren, Maria, Sara Lilliehorn, and Urban Markström. “The Counselling Practice of School Social Workers in Swedish Elementary Schools. A Focus Group Study.” Nordic Social Work Research 14, no. 1 (January 2, 2024): 18–31. https://doi.org/10.1080/2156857X.2022.2041467.

Levac, Danielle, Heather Colquhoun, and Kelly K O’Brien. “Scoping Studies: Advancing the Methodology.” Implementation Science 5, no. 1 (December 20, 2010): 69. https://doi.org/10.1186/1748-5908-5-69.

Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development. “Zimbabwe National Qualifications Framework,” 2019.

Morton, Stephen, David Pencheon, and Neil Squires. “Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and Their Implementation.” British Medical Bulletin, October 24, 2017, 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1093/bmb/ldx031.

Munn, Zachary, Danielle Pollock, Hanan Khalil, Lyndsay Alexander, Patricia Mclnerney, Christina M. Godfrey, Micah Peters, and Andrea C. Tricco. “What Are Scoping Reviews? Providing a Formal Definition of Scoping Reviews as a Type of Evidence Synthesis.” JBI Evidence Synthesis 20, no. 4 (April 2022): 950–52. https://doi.org/10.11124/JBIES-21-00483.

Ngoc Nguyen, Bich Thi, Tuong Vy Vo Thi, Nguyen Ha Nguyen Vu, and Vinh Long Tran Chio. “Collaboration Between Social Workers and Educational Forces in Schools: Advantages, Objectives, Content, and Form,” 2022.

Ntombela, Ngenisiwe Henrietta, Cherpet Tshuma, and Hester Carolina Van Wijk. “Problems Experienced by School Going Children: A School Social Work Perspective.” Gender and Behaviour 20, no. 1 (2022): 18691–706.

Ogina, Teresa A., and Norman M. Ramare. “Accountability of School Stakeholders in Ensuring Orphaned Children’s School Attendance.” South African Journal of Childhood Education 9, no. 1 (August 28, 2019). https://doi.org/10.4102/sajce.v9i1.672.

Ogunode, Niyi Jacob, Chinwuba Mary Adanna, and Victor Olugbenga Ayoko. “Out of School Children in Nigeria: Causes, Social Implications and Way Forward.” International Journal on Integrated Education 5, no. 12 (2022): 82–91.

Ouzzani, Mourad, Hossam Hammady, Zbys Fedorowicz, and Ahmed Elmagarmid. “Rayyan—a Web and Mobile App for Systematic Reviews.” Systematic Reviews 5, no. 1 (December 5, 2016): 210. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13643-016-0384-4.

Oyekan, K., A. Ayorinde, and O. Adenuga. “The Problem of Out-of-School Children in Nigeria.” portal.sds.ox.ac.uk. RISE Insight. , 2024. https://portal.sds.ox.ac.uk/articles/online_resource/The_Problem_of_Out-of-School_Children_in_Nigeria/23686470/1/files/41565972.pdf.

Peters, Micah D.J., Casey Marnie, Andrea C. Tricco, Danielle Pollock, Zachary Munn, Lyndsay Alexander, Patricia McInerney, Christina M. Godfrey, and Hanan Khalil. “Updated Methodological Guidance for the Conduct of Scoping Reviews.” JBI Evidence Synthesis 18, no. 10 (October 2020): 2119–26. https://doi.org/10.11124/JBIES-20-00167.

Renaud, Johanne, Sasha Leigh MacNeil, Lakshmi Vijayakumar, Michel Spodenkiewicz, Sylvanne Daniels, David A. Brent, and Gustavo Turecki. “Suicidal Ideation and Behavior in Youth in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Brief Review of Risk Factors and Implications for Prevention.” Frontiers in Psychiatry 13 (December 6, 2022). https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2022.1044354.

Rock, Amelia, Clare Barrington, Sara Abdoulayi, Maxton Tsoka, Peter Mvula, and Sudhanshu Handa. “Social Networks, Social Participation, and Health among Youth Living in Extreme Poverty in Rural Malawi.” Social Science & Medicine 170 (December 2016): 55–62. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2016.10.005.

Roser, M. “Access to Basic Education: Almost 60 Million Children of Primary School Age Are Not in School.” OurWorldInData.org., 2021. https://ourworldindata.org/children-not-in-school.

Schmidt, Kim. “Partnerships for Prosperity: A Need for Social Workers in the Early Childhood Development Centers and Schools of the Eastern Cape, South Africa.” Children & Schools 40, no. 4 (2018): 199–210.

Sittert, Hester Van, and Lizane Wilson. “School Social Workersâ€^TM Perceptions of Their Role within the Framework of Inclusive Education.” Southern African Journal of Social Work and Social Development 30, no. 2 (September 3, 2018). https://doi.org/10.25159/2415-5829/2944.

Smith, Elizabeth. “The Social Work Services Need and the Significant Role of Women in the School System of the North West Province.” Gender and Behaviour 14, no. 2 (2016): 7290–7300.

Tawodzera, Mazvita Cecilia, and Mahlapahlapana Themane. “Schooling Experiences of Children Left behind in Zimbabwe by Emigrating Parents: Implications for Inclusive Education.” South African Journal of Education 39, no. Supplement 1 (September 30, 2019): S1–13. https://doi.org/10.15700/saje.v39ns1a1797.

Thompson, Aaron M., Andy J. Frey, and Mike S. Kelly. “Factors Influencing School Social Work Practice: A Latent Profile Analysis.” School Mental Health 11, no. 1 (March 22, 2019): 129–40. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12310-018-9279-y.

Tibbits, Melissa K., Linda L. Caldwell, Edward A. Smith, Tania Vergnani, and Lisa Wegner. “Longitudinal Patterns of Active Leisure among South African Youth: Gender Differences and Associations with Health Risk Behaviours.” World Leisure Journal 58, no. 1 (January 2, 2016): 60–68. https://doi.org/10.1080/16078055.2015.1089317.

UNESCO. “Leaving No One behind: How Far on the Way to Universal Primary and Secondary Education? .” The Global Education Monitoring Report. UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, 2016. https://en.unesco.org/gem-report/sites/gemreport/files/LeavingNoOneBehindReference.pdf.

UNICEF. “Situation Analysis of Children in Mozambique 2014.” UNICEF Mozambique, 2014.

Vergottini, Marelize, and Mike Weyers. “The Department of Basic Education’s Expectations of Social Workers at South African Schools.” Southern African Journal of Social Work and Social Development 34, no. 3 (October 6, 2022). https://doi.org/10.25159/2708-9355/9423.

———. “The Foundations and Nature of South African School Social Work: An Overview.” Social Work 56, no. 2 (June 2020). https://doi.org/10.15270/56-2-816.

ABOUT AUTHOR(S)

Gift Khumalo is a lecturer at the Durban University of Technology, South Africa, and is currently a PhD in Social Work candidate in the School of Applied Human Sciences at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. He holds a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Social Work, a Postgraduate Certificate in Education, and a Postgraduate Diploma in Public Health. His research interests are in school social work, psychosocial development of adolescents, counselling, education, and student support services.

Dr. Nolwazi Ngcobo is a senior lecturer in the School of Applied Human Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, with 21 years of social work experience. As the academic leader for community engagement, she fosters university-community partnerships. She lectures and supervises social work students in practicum and research, and mentors Masters and PhD students. Her areas of interest include social work education and gender & sexuality issues.

Dr. Mbongeni Sithole is currently a senior lecturer in the School of Applied Human Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. He holds six post-matric qualifications – BA (Soc Sc); BA Honours (Psychology); B Tech (LRM); B Tech (HRD) (UNISA); Masters (SW) (UJ) & DPhil (SW) (Unizulu). His research interests are, mainly, in supervision, leadership, inclusive education, corrections, and Afrocentricity as an alternative knowledge system. As a self-driven and results-oriented life-long learner, with demonstrable skills and working knowledge in legislative prescripts and policy frameworks pertaining to Higher Education, Labour Relations, and the Criminal Justice System.

TO CITE ARTICLE

Khumalo,Gift, Nolwazi Ngcobo & Mbongeni Sithole. “The Roles and Responsibilities of School Social Workers in the African Context: A Scoping Review ,” E-Journal of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences 5, no.12 (2024): 16-39. https://doi.org/10.38159/ehass.20245122