Views of School Counselors and Social Service Workers on the Role of School in the Protection of Children in Care

• Main Author: Davut ELMACI
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Eğitim Bilimleri Araştırmaları Dergisi 2017-12-01
• Series: Eğitim Bilimleri Araştırmaları Dergisi
• Subjects: Child protection; Children in care; School counselors; Social service workers
• Online Access: http://ebad-jesr.com/images/MAKALE_ARSIV/C7_S2makaleler/3.7.2.ENG.pdf

The purpose of this research is to determine the views of the school counselors and social service workers about the role of the school in the protection of children in care. The participants of the research, designed as qualitative research, composed of the school counselors working at primary schools where children in care attend in the TR83 region (Amasya, Çorum, Samsun, and Tokat) and the social service workers in the same region. In this scope, interviews were conducted with 11 school counselors and 12 social service workers. Research findings show that the role of school is beneficial for socializing children in care. The main problems encountered in fulfilling the current role of the school in the protection of children in care are; behavioral problems of children in care, inadequate communication between the school and the social service institution, the past problems that the children in care experienced, the school staff’s lack of knowledge about children in care and labeling. According to the research results, it is beneficial to raise awareness of school administrators and teachers about child protection and to establish an effective cooperation between school and social service institution.