Practice in a Pandemic: School Social Workers’ Adaptations and Experiences During the 2020 COVID-19 School Disruptions

Abstract

In March 2020, as American PreK-12 schools shut down and moved into online learning in response to the global COVID-19 pandemic, there was little information about how school social workers (SSWs) were responding to the crisis. This study used a national online survey to understand how SSWs ( N = 1,275) adapted their school practice during the initial 2020 COVID-19 crisis. Findings from this study indicate that SSWs made swift and (relatively) smooth adaptations of their traditional practice role to the new context, though not without reporting considerable professional stress and personal challenges doing so. SSWs reported significant concerns about their ability to deliver effective virtual school social work services given their students’ low motivation and lack of engagement with online learning, as well as significant worries about how their students were faring during the first months of the pandemic. Implications for school social work practice, policy, and research are discussed.

A systematic review of technology-mediated social work practice: Benefits, uncertainties, and future directions

“…Kelly et al (2021) found that while social workers had a smooth process of adaptation to all-virtual services, the shifting to remote and online for school social workers was challenging. They were unsure of the “best or “right” way to engage with students and how to motivate them to stay connected.…”

“…Thus, social workers were uncertain whether online communication and technology were "an answer" to clients' needs in some settings (Im & George, 2022, p. 13). Kelly et al (2021) found that while social workers had a smooth process of adaptation to all-virtual services, the shifting to remote and online for school social workers was challenging. They were unsure of the "best or "right" way to engage with students and how to motivate them to stay connected.…”

A Mixed Method Study of Teachers' Appraisals of Student Wellness Services and Supports During COVID‐19

“…Recent studies have identified the types of wellness services and supports provided in schools during the pandemic (ie, school social workers). 10 However, few studies have examined teachers' appraisals of these wellness services and supports. While some districts offer support services to which teachers can refer students under current conditions, 11 others do not have sufficient support resources, reinforcing teachers' responsibility to address student wellness at an individual level, even as they too weather this crisis.…”

“…Recent studies have identified the types of wellness services and supports provided in schools during the pandemic (ie, school social workers) 10 . However, few studies have examined teachers' appraisals of these wellness services and supports.…”

“Why wasn’t I doing this before?”: Changed school social work practice in response to the COVID-19 pandemic

“…The pandemic produced serious challenges for entire school communities, including financial strain for families and educators, food insufficiency, stress around acquiring and using devices for virtual learning, and compounded difficulties due to ongoing, pre-pandemic concerns such as mental health struggles, inadequate housing, and undocumented status ( Alvarez et al, 2020 ; Daftary et al, 2021 ). Encouragingly, surveyed SSWs frequently reported school employees’ efforts to show care and support for one another and their school’s families ( Kelly et al, 2020 ). Yet, many of the same survey’s respondents found it hard to establish meaningful, ongoing contact with their assigned student clients, and experienced a high level of work-related stress and worry about their students’ and their own families.…”