What are school social works in Vietnam?

What are school social works in Vietnam?

Based on Article 4 of Circular 33/2018/TT-BGDDT, social work in schools includes the following contents:

- Identifying risks inside and outside the educational institution that negatively affect learners; identifying incidents related to learners in special circumstances, victims of abuse, involvement in violence, school dropouts, and legal violations.

- Organizing activities to prevent and reduce the risk of learners falling into special circumstances, becoming victims of abuse, violence, school dropouts, and legal violations.

- Implementing intervention and assistance procedures for learners in special circumstances, victims of abuse, violence, school dropouts, and legal violations.

- Coordinating with families, local authorities, and units providing social work services in the community to intervene and assist learners who need urgent intervention or assistance, or teachers and learners requiring intervention or support.

- Organizing activities to support the development and community integration for learners post-intervention or for learners, teachers, and parents who wish for development support and community integration.

What are school social works in Vietnam?​ (Image from the Internet)

What are the principles for implementing social works in schools in Vietnam?

According to the regulations in Article 3 of Circular 33/2018/TT-BGDDT, the principles for implementing social work in schools are:

- Maintaining confidentiality of personal information of learners, and any sharing of information must comply with the law.

- Respecting the unique characteristics, personalities, qualities, and personal circumstances of learners, placing learners at the center of support activities.

- Listening to learners' opinions and providing opportunities for them to participate fully in discussing solutions to their problems.

- Ensuring that all decisions are made carefully considering the best interest of the learner without infringing on the rights and legitimate interests of others.

- Ensuring an equal, objective, and appropriate relationship between learners and participants in social work in schools.

What are regulations on the intervention and assistance for learners when carrying out social work in schools in Vietnam?

Based on Article 7 of Circular 33/2018/TT-BGDDT, the regulation on intervention and assistance for learners when implementing social work in schools is as follows:

(1) Receiving notifications and initial assessment

- Teachers and staff assigned as the main contact for advising on the implementation of social work in schools should receive notifications and perform an initial assessment of learners' support needs;

+ Prepare a detailed information receipt report according to Form No. 01 issued with Circular 33/2018/TT-BGDDT.

- Teachers and staff assigned as the main contact for advising on the implementation of social work in schools should discuss and gather opinions from learners and related parties to verify the information of the incident. Conduct a comprehensive assessment of learners' support needs based on their level and risk of harm;

+ Prepare a detailed report on the level, risk of harm, and needs of the learner according to Form No. 02 issued with Circular 33/2018/TT-BGDDT.

- Assign intervention and assistance plans

+ Based on the verification and assessment results of the learner's needs, the head of the educational institution decides on the intervention and assistance plan for the learner.

(2) For cases of intervention and assistance at the educational institution

- Teachers and staff assigned as the main contact for advising on the implementation of social work in schools should develop an intervention and assistance plan based on the comprehensive assessment results of the incident or learners' needs, determining goals and intervention, assistance activities for the learner;

+ Prepare an intervention assistance plan for learners in the educational institution according to Form No. 03 issued with Circular 33/2018/TT-BGDDT.

- Approval of the Intervention Assistance Plan

+ After receiving the learner's intervention assistance plan, the head of the educational institution must approve it within no more than 03 working days.

- Implementing the Intervention Assistance Plan for the learner

+ Teachers and staff assigned as the main contact for advising on the implementation of social work in schools should lead and collaborate with learners, their families, and related parties to implement intervention and assistance activities according to the plan approved by the head of the educational institution. Monitor, supervise the implementation of intervention and assistance activities and promptly adjust them if necessary.

- Reviewing and assessing risks after intervention, assistance for learners

+ Teachers and staff assigned as the main contact for advising on the implementation of social work in schools should assess the condition and risk of harm to learners after intervention assistance, provide observations and conclusions on the current status of learners and the risk of harm after implementing intervention and assistance measures. Report on reviewing and assessing the status of learners after intervention, assistance according to Form No. 04 issued with Circular 33/2018/TT-BGDDT;

+ In cases where the learner is no longer harmed or at risk of harm, report to the head of the educational institution to conclude the intervention, assistance process;

+ In cases where the learner is still harmed or at risk of harm, continue to implement intervention, assistance or develop a new intervention, assistance plan appropriate to the learner's condition.

(3) For cases of intervention and assistance in the community

- In cases where the learner is a victim of abuse, violence, or other incidents that are beyond the institution's capacity to intervene, support

+ The educational institution should transfer or send the case to one of the following agencies: the commune-level People's Committee; the National Child Protection Hotline at number 111; the commune-level Police Agency; the district-level Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs; provincial or municipal social work centers, or district-level social work service centers in the locality;

+ The educational institution should directly contact the National Child Protection Hotline at number 111 for guidance or officially dispatch the learner's case to relevant agencies within no more than 12 working hours from receiving the notification;

+ Teachers and staff assigned as the main contact for advising on the implementation of social work in schools should cooperate with the unit receiving the learner to support, monitor, and supervise the reception, intervention, assistance process ensuring it meets the learner's needs.

- In cases where the learner drops out or is at risk of dropping out due to cultural, religious, migration issues, or family economic difficulties beyond the institution's ability to support

+ The educational institution should directly notify or report in writing to the commune-level People's Committee where the learner resides to support and motivate the learner to return to school or to manage locally.