Schools reflect the communities they serve, embodying the same cultural diversity, economic gaps, social tensions and aspirations that shape wider society.
Far from being standalone establishments, they are living, breathing extensions of their communities, where the successes, struggles and unique cultures of the outside world play out in classrooms in just the same way.
Consequently, as professionals, the lines between social work and teaching have become increasingly blurred. As our schools and wider communities face unprecedented social, economic and environmental challenges, we’re required to action our wider responsibilities like never before in order to safeguard those in our care - championing their rights and advocating for their wellbeing, above all else.
The days of delivering a subject curriculum alone, with no responsibilities other than to get the best results in town, are long gone.
‘Increasingly complex social issues’
It’s not uncommon, however, to hear “we’re not social workers” in staffrooms up and down the country, as increasingly complex social issues have an impact on learning, teaching and the life of the school.
Frustrations are keenly felt as wellbeing and welfare concerns drive and disrupt activity in the classroom more and more, diluting the focus from subject specifics as wider needs take precedence in legislation and national policy.
The truth is, though, that we are very much like social workers.
In the Scottish government publication , social work values and aims are set out as follows: “Principles of social justice, human rights, collective responsibility and respect for diversities are central to social work...social work engages people and structures to address life challenges and enhance wellbeing.”
The same principles guide the teaching profession. The outline what it means to be a teacher in Scotland, with a commitment to the core professional values of social justice, trust, respect and integrity as the foundation of all practice.
We only need to look at (“getting it right for every child”) - an agenda focused on realising children’s rights on a day-to-day basis through a system-wide, collective commitment to the guiding principles of equity, equality, diversity and inclusion - to see how this looks in action.
These principles are reinforced across the curriculum, too, for example, in areas of that are the responsibility of all. The curriculum principles are clear: it is our collective responsibility to meet the unique and individual needs of all learners, including their social, emotional, mental and physical needs.
For many children and young people across the country, this might include, for example, making sure they’ve been given food and something to drink before they turn to page 42 in their maths textbooks. Or it might mean they need access to a safe space with a trusted adult as they try to manage their volatile emotions before entering the playground.
Mirroring the role of social workers
As teachers, we mirror the role of social workers as we “address life challenges and enhance wellbeing” (as the aforementioned puts it) in learning communities that mirror the outside world. It is a fundamental part of our job and has been for a long time.
Delivering the curriculum and striving for those high attainment figures may well be the ultimate educational goals. But the need to prioritise values-based responsibilities has never been more relevant, as societal changes and modern-day living impact the lives of children who are arriving in schools in alarmingly high numbers no-where near ready to learn.
So yes, we are social workers in a way, because only by addressing the challenges above and meeting wellbeing needs can any meaningful learning and teaching take place.
Catherine Lawson is a Scotland-based freelance writer whose previous roles include principal teacher of support and wellbeing and education officer in Education Scotland’s inclusion team
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