Social justice implications for educational psychologists working with orphans and vulnerable children in South Africa

Abstract

The aim of this article is to discuss the social justice implications for educational psychologists working with orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) who comprise 3.7 million of the population in South Africa. The author begins with a global conceptualisation of social justice and then discusses the nature of social justice in South Africa. This is followed by an exploration of social justice within the discipline of educational psychology and how it would apply to the contexts of OVC, especially taking their psychosocial and educational challenges into consideration. These challenges allude to the point that educational psychologists have to be active agents of social justice who advocate for better learning and development opportunities for OVC to succeed in life. Thus, the social justice implications for educational psychologists working with OVC are discussed. In concluding, the author points out the global value of this article noting that OVC and educational psychologists are prevalent across the globe.

Action against inequalities: a synthesis of social justice & equity, diversity, inclusion frameworks

“…In conjunction with the Politics of Difference, Young's Social Connection Model proposes that the same structure which creates inequalities for certain groups can simultaneously advance the opportunities and influence of other groups [81]. This highlighting of structural inequalities Multiple Statuses: (tally statuses below) [115][116][117][118][119] Poverty [120,121] Intellectual Disability [122,123] Physical Disability [124,125] Chronic Health & Chronic Mental Health [126,127] Addiction, including Neonatal Abstinence [128,129] Lifelong Caregiver [130,131] Foster Experience [132,133] Indigenous/ Aboriginal [134,135] Survivor of Abuse [136,137] Victim of Crime [138,139] Incarceration [140,141] Homelessness or Street/Shelter Experience [142,143] Race [144,145] Rural or Isolated Geography [146,147] Ageism: Children & Seniors [148] Gender [149,150] Hayvon International Journal for Equity in Health (2024) 23:106 is complemented by Young's argument for Five Faces of Oppression, which categorizes inequalities into: economic exploitation, socio-economic marginalization, powerlessness over one's work, cultural imperialism, and systematic violence [55]. In combination, Young's theories of social justice informs the synthesis of constructs number 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8.…”

Working together towards social justice, anti-racism, and equity: a joint commitment from school psychology international and journal of educational and psychological consultation

“…Social justice has become an increasingly prominent pillar of school and educational psychology research, practice, and training around the world (Graves et al., 2020; Schulze et al., 2017; Shriberg & Clinton, 2016). While many school and educational psychologists have framed the goals and processes of social justice around rectifying interpersonal and societal inequities (e.g., Pillay, 2020; Shriberg & Clinton, 2016), social justice has been conceptualized in vastly different (and even conflicting) ways. Notably, definitions of social justice have stemmed from a variety of religious, secular, collectivist, and individualist ideologies in both local and global contexts (Reisch, 2014).…”

“…Although evidenced and conceptualized differently across geographic and cultural contexts, racial and ethnic discrimination has been defined as “the differential treatment enacted by an individual, group, or organization on individuals based on assumptions of a group’s phenotypic, linguistic, or cultural differences” (Gamst et al., 2011, p. 251). While such discrimination is often studied at the national level (e.g., Pillay, 2020), it is best described as a global phenomenon that permeates local settings and engenders context-specific systems of oppression (e.g., Christian, 2019). As such, it impacts all nations due to their inevitable participation in an undeniably racialized world.…”

“…As such, it impacts all nations due to their inevitable participation in an undeniably racialized world. Collectively, school and educational psychologists have only begun to explore the implications of racial and ethnic discrimination for their professional work; however, some have described the role of practitioners and scholars in addressing discrimination in countries such as South Africa, Greece, and the United States, among others (Hatzichristou et al., 2020; Proctor et al., 2020; Pillay, 2020).…”

“…For example, low academic expectations from school staff and segregated schooling environments have been found to impact the success of Indigenous youth in Australia, South Asian youth in Hong Kong, and Roma youth in the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Slovakia (e.g., Bhowmik, 2017; Bodkin-Andrews et al., 2013; Dean, 2018; Messing, 2017; Moodie et al., 2019; Shum et al., 2016; Thapa & Adamson, 2017). Other themes include histories of colonization, White supremacy, and anti-Black racism, whose legacies pose pervasive barriers to physical and psychological safety for youth of color and their families in countries such as Haiti, South Africa, and the United States (Benner & Graham, 2013; Nicolas & Thompson, 2019; Pillay, 2020). While racial and ethnic discrimination have saturated the moral, political, and cultural fabric of virtually all societies around the globe, they have also been met with ingenuity, fortitude, and a deep commitment to social justice by marginalized communities and their allies.…”