Discusses creating a safe and supportive environment in educational institutions – Education, webinars

In order to evaluate the current situation in a mutual dialogue, as well as to outline the directions of further action aimed at creating a safe and supportive environment in schools, the Ministry of Welfare organized an interdisciplinary discussion “Social work at school”.

In the thematic discussion, there was a dialogue on two important topics, which are closely related to the current issue of creating a safe and supportive environment for students. The first discussion group was to talk about what reliable and supportive adults are and what students expect from them. The second topic of discussion was about social support providers in schools, their competence and cooperation.

The participants of the discussion found that a social worker in the social service, unlike social pedagogues in schools, has access to a larger range of services that can be offered to the student and his family according to the needs identified in the evaluation. Participants agreed that early assessment of children and identification of problems is very important. The causes of problems start already in preschool, where a support system would be needed in preschools, where there is currently no specialist who can work preventively with the child and the family in the early stages of the child’s development.

The audience of the discussion resonates with the opinion that it is especially important to respect confidentiality, because if confidentiality requirements are violated, students experience it painfully and generalize it by sharing their experiences with their peers, which significantly damages the image of the profession of social pedagogue. Social pedagogues recognized that current problems that they have to solve are related to student truancy, tardiness, manifestations of violence, the search for gender identity among teenagers, which are perceived by adults with prejudice, adaptation problems in the transition from elementary school to secondary school.

The panelists agreed that social work in schools should be based on mutually understanding, respectful and supportive relationships between students and support staff. A person who performs social work in a school must understand the subcultures of students and young people, be familiar with the peculiarities of the development of age stages, be open and accepting in communication; must be endowed with excellent cooperation skills; must have psychosocial counseling skills; the conditions of using methods in the social work community must also be understood.

The discussion “Social work at school” was organized by the Ministry of Welfare of the European Union Cohesion Policy Program 2021-2027. for ESF+ 4.3.5.4. within the framework of the event project “Professional and modern social work development”.

The Ministry of Welfare