SOSV3101 Social Work Pratice in School Settings Course description

Active efforts with pupils in school settings can prevent non-attendance and drop-out from school, and represents a new work arena for social workers. Research shows that the number of pupils with socio-emotional difficulties is increasing in Norwegian schools, and that the school system can maintain or amplify existing social differences. The number of schools that employ a social worker has increased but appointing a social worker is not yet legally required. This course is about how we can achieve a more inclusive school, with room for and safeguarding of the diversity of pupils, by combining the expertise of several professions in the school. It is important for our students and for social workers and educators employed by a school to know how social care expertise can be implemented in an educational arena. 

The student must have passed all exams in the first and second year of the programme.  

After completing the course, the student should have the following overall learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills and general competence: 

Knowledge 

The student: 

• has knowledge of applicable curricula, the Norwegian Education Act and relevant white papers 

• can recognise the different phases of a group process/class formation process in schools 

• is familiar with relevant theories of importance to social work in schools 

• is familiar with the teaching profession’s ethical platform and the Code of Ethics for child welfare officers, social workers, social educators and welfare officers 

Skills 

The student can 

• analyse curricula based on the theories raised in the course 

• use their knowledge of class formation processes in cooperation with the educator 

• use their social care knowledge in work with pupils, parents/guardians, educators and other partners 

General competence 

The student: 

• has both theoretical and practical knowledge of how social care expertise can be used alongside educational expertise in primary and lower secondary school 

• can describe cooperation at the system level, in the classroom, in school-home relations and in pupil-teacher/social worker relations 

• can reflect on challenges that can arise when a new occupational category is added to an arena traditionally belonging to another occupational category 

Cooperation skills and relational competence are important for a social worker who wishes to work in a school. The social worker will cooperate with different occupational categories when working with the pupils. Together, they form a team around the pupil. In the course, the students will learn about and reflect on the concept of professions and how social work can be performed in schools and contribute to society. 

They will also learn about cooperation at several levels: individual conversations with students, with the educational staff and school management, with parents/guardians and interdisciplinary cooperation with bodies such as the child welfare service, the Educational and Psychological Counselling Service and the Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinic. The school’s view of its pupils, and the predominant thoughts on behavioural problems in school are also important areas for discussion. 

The students will also learn about group/class formation processes and the work continuously taking place in the classroom. The course will also cover some history concerning social workers as school employees.  

The course uses student-active forms of learning, and teaching methods vary between lectures, group work, and discussion and reflection assignments.

No coursework requirements/compulsory activities.

An individual written home exam over 48 hours relating to a given topic/issue. The exam paper must have a scope of 8-10 pages. Font and font size: Calibri 12 point. Line spacing: 1.5. The approved citation style APA for assignments must be complied with.  

Students who were absent for a valid reason or who fail the exam may take a resit/rescheduled exam in the same format as the ordinary exam. A new exam assignment will be given.

All aids are permitted, as long as the rules for source referencing are complied with.  

Grade scale A-F.  

All exam papers are assessed by one internal and one external examiner. 

Ulrika Gustavsson and Nina Tømmerbakken.