Managing identity in a host setting: School social workers' strategies for better interprofessional work in New Zealand schools

Abstract

Social workers in New Zealand other schools work with other school professionals to respond to potential child maltreatment in the school setting, but little is reported about their experience of interprofessional collaboration. An exploratory qualitative study focused on school professionals’ process when responding to child maltreatment. The author conducted 20 semi-structured telephone interviews with social workers to explore their interprofessional work with teaching professionals. Many challenges were reported including power imbalances; resource issues, especially inadequate time given their placement in multiple schools; marginalisation, and teachers’ inconsistent understanding of the social work role. Social workers reported relationship-based strategies to manage these challenges, and a sense of pride and identity was apparent in these accounts. Patient relationship building was a key strategy to build respect and understanding of social work knowledge and skills. A reading of Bourdieu's discussion of social distinction suggests social work is often perceived as a profession lacking the confidence of the “distinguished possessor” of capital and more of the uncertainty of the “pretentious challenger”. A professional capital framework, that positions school-based social workers as ‘guests’ in a host setting, is useful in understanding these dynamics and how social workers choose to respond. This study suggests that preparation for school social work might usefully focus on interprofessional working and in particular support the development of conscious, principled yet pragmatic relationship-building skills to bridge the gap between the teaching and social work professions and improve the welfare of children.

‘If you could change two things’: Social workers in schools talk about what could improve schools' responses to child abuse and neglect

“…A significant aim of this part of the research was to understand what it was like to be a social worker in a school setting and to explore how professional dynamics might influence school responses to concerns about CAN. The interviews explored four broad topics: participants' perceptions of their readiness to work in a school environment and the knowledge and skills needed; the strengths and challenges of practising social work in a school setting (reported in Beddoe, 2017); the processes the participants' schools followed when concerns were raised about a child; and the social workers' beliefs about what they would like to change in how schools respond to CAN. The latter question was phrased as a kind of miracle question, as the first author has found such questions, borrowed from solution-focused therapy, to be useful in qualitative research as a means of eliciting future-oriented ideas and aspirations, freed from the constraints of now.…”

“…We were interested to find out how SWiS manage relationships within the school to achieve positive outcomes for children experiencing maltreatment and neglect. This latter focus is particularly relevant given SWiS operate in a space between school and welfare systems and are often isolated in their work (Beddoe, 2017). They are not teachers, yet are expected to operate in an environment which essentially has different motivations and aims to social work (Isaksson & Sjöström, 2016;Phillippo & Blosser, 2013;Sherman, 2016).…”

“…As a corollary to the theme addressed above, it is often noted that school social workers, in order to build relationships with other school professionals, must spend time learning about the education system and the specific bureaucracy it uses (Beddoe, 2017;Jarolmen, 2014;Kelly, Frey, & Anderson-Butcher, 2010;Pawlak & Cousins, 2006;Poppy, 2012). While this is felt to be a proactive positive move it may also be a defensive strategy to ensure school social workers do not "alienat[e] the very system of which they are a part" (Staudt & Kemp Powell, 1996, p. 442).…”

Addressing concerns about child maltreatment in schools: A brief research report on social work involvement in reporting processes

“…Twenty telephone/Skype interviews of between 30 and 90 minutes' duration were conducted using a semi-structured interview method. The interviews traversed four broad topics: participants' perceptions of their readiness to work in a school environment; their views about the knowledge and skills needed; the strengths and challenges of practising social work in a school setting (Beddoe, 2017); and the processes followed by the schools when concerns were raised about a child. Saturation was noted at 20 interviews, with clear, consistent narratives having been identified.…”

“It’s about the most needy children”: A Foucauldian analysis of school social workers’ responses to need in post-earthquake Canterbury

“…Strong emphasis is placed on the school social worker working collaboratively with teachers (Beddoe, 2019;Berzin et al, 2011). School social workers consult and communicate with teachers mainly over home-school information (Berzin et al, 2011;Lee, 2012).…”