Effectiveness of School Social Work from a Risk and Resilience Perspective

Abstract

School social workers use a variety of interventions in prevention, treatment, and environmental change, directed at the mental health needs of children. Social work is at the periphery of schools' mission, and as such, has high standards of accountability. To demonstrate the value of social work in schools, we must have evidence of whether school social work practice is effective. This article identifies and reviews 21 controlled outcome studies of school social work practice. School social workers can use these studies as the basis for designing effective interventions in mental health prevention and treatment efforts in schools, including efforts targeted at improving the overall climate of the schools. The review incorporates a risk and resilience perspective to link the demonstrated effects of interventions to the wider body of literature on children's development, especially in regard to mental health.