School social worker

The School Sociology Unit has started its operations in the 2020-2021 academic year and was initially funded by the Kankaanpää City Education Service's state grant project, which was aimed at leveling the effects of the exceptional circumstances, preventing problems related to learning, student guidance and support, and improving the conditions for learning in pre-school and basic education and supplementary basic education. The use of this so-called corona money was divided among all basic education schools in Kankaanpää in different ways (including the salary of school counselors and resource teachers, as well as the organization of remedial teaching and group lessons). At Pohjanlinna School, the corona money was used for the work of the School Sociology Unit and its own operating model was developed for it. The City Council decided to make the position permanent at a meeting held on 21 June 2021.

Nationally, school social workers work in different schools under different titles. The titles in use include educational counselor, school coach, school mentor, school janitor, school coach, student welfare specialist and student welfare supervisor. The most important areas in the basic task of a school social worker, regardless of the title, are early intervention, comprehensive guidance of the student, educational partnership, community work and network cooperation. Competence can also be found in various legislation and multidisciplinary cooperation. They have a social pedagogical approach and are highly educated professionals.

The school social worker is involved in the students' everyday lives and strives to be easily accessible on a daily basis. The work focuses on increasing the school's well-being and sense of community by supporting the students' well-being. The school social worker helps to secure every student's right to guidance during the school day, which means the success of schoolwork and the smooth running of studies right now.

In Kankaanpää, the school social worker's duties include tasks related to the expansion of compulsory education (Student Supervision Act 1214/2020). At the junction between lower secondary school and upper secondary school, the school social worker participates in enhanced student guidance as part of the school's enhanced guidance team. The aim is to build a good school path to upper secondary studies and thus strengthen the student's commitment to their studies. The school social worker also works in the Kankaanpää City Compulsory Education Group and in the regional guidance network.

You can read more about the content of the work of a school sociologist from Pohjanlinna School from the pages.