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degree in Social Work or B.Ed. degree. The aim is to enable a suitably qualified
school social worker at a school to be promoted to a senior position within the
structure of a school and/or education department.
No teacher or principal at a present regular educational institution is suitably qualified
or has statutory power to institute such actions. There is a dire need for such a person
within the school environment.
The social worker could play a vital role with regard to curbing child abuse. In the first
place the school social worker will be suitably qualified to identify and work with the
abused child and his parents. Secondly the school social worker will also have the
statutory power to effect the canalising ofthe abused child to a clinic or special school.
At the same time the school social worker will have the required knowledge and
statutory backing to assist, and work with, the SAP, welfare organisations and
voluntary support organisations. Thirdly, the school social worker will be an absolute
necessity whenever an abused child is returned from a special school or institution
back to mainstream education.
(2) Recommendations
The recommendations are :
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that school social workers should be trained and made available to all
schools, Le. the school social worker should form part of the staff
structure of every school;
the training of the school social workers should qualify them as teachers
as well as social workers within the school environment, Le. registration
with both the Teachers Council as well as the Council for Social Work;
the following four-year degree course BA (Ed) (SSW) for the training
of school social workers at universities within the RSA is recommended: