On the Role Expectation of School Social Worker from the Education and Social Administration Systems in Taiwan

On the Role Expectation of School Social Worker from the Education and Social Administration Systems in TaiwanAbstractchool social work in Taiwan has been developed since 1977, its system and role performance have been concerned continuously, especially in their role confusion and role conflict. Therefore the research is to explore the role expectations of school social worker which from their partners and themselves. First of all, this research examines the interaction experiences among the school social workers, educational workers, social workers in social administration; secondly, discusses the roles of school social workers from the stands of education system and social administration system; finally, proposes suggestions to the school social workers for the cooperation with education system and social administration system. This research adopted depth interview as data-collecting method, totally twenty-seven interviewees have been interviewed, including eight school social workers, six social workers in social administration system, five administrators of counseling department, five teachers, and three supervisors of school social worker. he research finding discusses as follows: First, the research examines the interactions among school social workers, educational workers and social workers in social administration based on what the perceptions of those various professionals, and how they knew school social work; they would divide professional jobs into different parts depend on types of cases and relationship with clients; besides, “school-based social workers” have more intense informal relationship with school administration than “circuit-based school social workers”; most of them appreciate school social workers’ professional capacities with few exceptions. Second, researcher took the perspective of ” school social work clinical quadrant“ to analyze the similarities and differences among the role expectations of school social worker from the education and social administration systems, including six dimensions. Third, the research explores how the education and social administration systems shape the role expectation in macro-perspective.ased on the research findings, the research concludes two issues: the role expectations from role senders and the role expectations of focal person. Talking about the role expectations of role senders, firstly, the Department of Education expects school social workers provide services on the base of assessments; otherwise, school and social administration system don’t. Secondly, because of the differences of school social workers and teaching professional training, educational workers and the Department of Education expects school social workers provide resources-coordinating skills and consult with domestic violence and sexual assault cases. Thirdly, about role of coordinator, all of the role senders expect school social workers stand by their sides, so school social workers would face a dilemma situation. Fourthly, about role of advocate, the Department of Education and social administration system expect school social workers advocate for students, but school staff don’t. It makes school social workers hard to develop the role of advocate completely. Fifthly, about the accountability for agency, school and the Department of Education both expect school social workers consider them first, especially for “school-based social workers”.egarding to school social workers, firstly, because school doesn’t expect school social workers to be an advocate, that barricades the playing of advocate in Taiwan. Secondly, about the accountability for school social work, school social workers, the Department of Education and the school expect school social workers develop professional roles, but in fact, administrative manager in school would affect the work of school social workers. Hence, school social workers have to consider how to strengthen the trust from administrative manager. Thirdly, about the accountability for agency, in order to maintain the informal relationship with school staff, it becomes hard for school social workers to reject school administrative affairs. According to above, this research proposes several suggestions:. For “school-based social workers”: (1) to establishes the school social worker''s professional duties; (2) to coordinate the division of labor of school administrative works; (3) to act the advocate skillfully.. For “circuit-based school social workers”: (1) to promote understanding between the school social worker and the school; (2) to act an advocate fully.. For all school social workers: (1) to establish the cooperation relationship with social workers of domestic violence and sexual assault prevention center; (2) to coordinate the responsibility of cases at risk; (3) to act role of coordinator appropriately; (4) to display the professional values.. For social workers in social administration system: (1) to inform and remind the school in the emergency placement situation; (2) to appropriately explain the placement cases situation to school.. For cooperative partners among professional team : to promote cross-professionals trainings. ey words: school social work, role expectation, role confusion, role conflict.