SATURDAY, OCTOBER 12, 1974
3.
SCHOOL SOCIAL WORK
CLOSER CO-OPERATION BETWEEN SOCIAL WORKERS AND TEACHERS NEEDED
********
THE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION, MR. KENNETH TOPLEY SAID TODAY THAT THERE WAS A NEED TO INTRODUCE SOCIAL WORKERS INTO SCHOOLS BUT HE CAUTIONED THAT THIS SERVICE MUST BE DONE VERY CAREFULLY IN THE SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT.
MR. TOPLEY WAS SPEAKING AT A SEMINAR ON +UNDERSTANDING AND HELPING THE STUDENTS WITH PROBLEMS+ ORGANISED BY THE HONG KONG COUNCIL OF SOCIAL SERVICE'S SCHOOL SOCIAL WORK COMMITTEE.
THE HALF-DAY SEMINAR WAS TO PROVIDE A CHANCE FOR TEACHERS AND SOCIAL WORKERS TO SHARE PROBLEMS AND GAIN BETTER UNDERSTAND ING OF EACH OTHER, TO ENHANCE CLOSER CO-OPERATION BETWEEN SOCIAL WORKERS AND TEACHERS, AND TO FIND BETTER MEANS OF UNDERSTANDING AND HELPING STUDENTS WITH PROBLEMS.
ASKING THOSE TAKING PART IN THE SEMINAR TO KEEP THIS IN MIND DURING THEIR DISCUSSIONS, THE DIRECTOR SAID THE MOST DIFFICULT QUESTION FOR HIM WAS HOW TO ORGANISE A LIMITED NUMBER OF SOCIAL WORKERS TO MAKE THE MAXIMUM IMPACT ON, AS HE PUT IT, +A LARGE BODY OF CLIENTS SPREAD WIDELY BUT IN SOME WAYS UNKNOWN.+
ON THE QUESTION OF WHO WAS TO DELIVER THIS SERVICE, MR. TOPLEY SAID THE PEOPLE WHO MUST NOT BE LEFT OUT WERE THE TEACHER OF THE PARTICULAR STUDENT, THE HEADMASTER, THE CAREERS MASTER. IF THE STUDENT WAS LEAVING SCHOOL AND OF COURSE THE PARENTS AND THE SOCIAL WORKER.
+HOW MUCH FOR INSTANCE DO WE WANT TO TURN TEACHERS INTO SOCIAL WORKERS?+ MR. TOPLEY ASKED. +DO WE WANT THE SCHOOL TO CHANGE RATHER THAN THE PUPIL?+
THE DIRECTOR HOPED THAT PEOPLE TAKING PART IN THE 'SEMINAR WOULD LET HIN HAVE THEIR VIEWS ON THESE QUESTIONS.
HOWEVER, MR. TOPLEY SAID THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT HAD ADOPTED WHAT HE BELIEVED WAS A SENSIBLE APPROACH SINCE IT WAS NOT POSSIBLE IN THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE TO PLACE A SOCIAL WORKER IN EACH SCHOOL.
THE S.W.D. RECOMMENDED THAT SOCIAL WORK TO SCHOOL CHILDREN BE DONE BY REFERRALS ON A REGIONAL BASIS OR BY PART-TIME ATTACHMENT OF A SOCIAL WORKER TO A SCHOOL.
ON THE REFERRAL CASES, THE FAMILY SERVICES DIVISION OF THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT COULD EXTEND ITS SERVICE TO SCHOOLS BY REDEPLOYMENT OF STAFF AND RESOURCES.
MR. TOPLEY MENTIONED VARIOUS PROBLEMS WHICH STUDENTS ENCOUNTERED INCLUDING PROBLEMS AT HOME WHICH MIGHT BE RELATED TO SCHOOL, GETTING ALONG WITH FELLOW STUDENTS AND TEACHERS.
14