Family involvement in educational social work

Abstract

The family is important in educational social work because the child's family may influence or determine the child's behaviour in school and his/her problems there. The family may facilitate the setting of social work goals; because some problems may be family-based rather than child-based and so require a family focus for resolution. When the problem is child-based, the family may facilitate the achievement of the social work goals. The purpose of this dissertation is to highlight the importance of involving the family in educational social work, with special reference to the setting of goals in the social work relationship. It will examine how the relationship between the social worker and the family influences the setting or non-setting of goals and their achievement. It will also look at the effects of educational social work upon the child and the family.