Analysis Of The Roles Of School Social Work In China At A Perspective Of System Theory

In recent years, with the rise of professional social work in the Mainland China, the school social work also shows its increasing significance. However, under the influence of the traditional education system and the inherent operating mechanism in schools,the extent of the school social work as a professional helping practice in the Mainland is still very limited, and the role school social workers are supposed to play is vague, professional orientation is not yet clear. This paper attempts to observe the school social workers from the perspective of systems theory to investigate the role and the functions of school social workers in traditional schools in the Mainland where the traditional mechanism of operation is still functioning. Through the interpretation of the connotation of the school social work, a critical review of the history of school social work, as well as its current development at home and abroad, the paper discusses in detail the tasks and functions of school social work services, and summarizes the models of school social work in different sectors; and, based on my internship experience in a mainland secondary school, the paper describes the current social work practice in Mainland schools, and the limited current role played by the school social workers in the service process is discussed, too. Using a framework of system theory, I put the school social work and social workers in a typical Chinese environment, in which all structural factors, especially the administrative factors are analyzed. Logically, the roles of social work, i.e., social workers as consultants, counselors, and educators and so on are represented. Finally, suggestions for school social workers of how to play professional roles in a real context are provided.