Understanding School Social Workers’ Roles in Bullying Prevention and Intervention

The primary purpose for this research was to gain a better understanding how school social workers are assisting in bullying prevention and intervention efforts at schools. Semi-structured interviews were done with three school social workers and three school administrators from school districts around the Twin City metropolitan area, in Minnesota. Interview questions were asked regarding: understanding of roles, consideration of school bullying prevention programs, exploring opinions about bullying prevention policies, understandings of laws and policies, talking through the successes and lack of success of the current bullying program in the school and lastly, exploring roles in policy making. Findings from this study were analyzed, coded and were compared and contrasted with the literature review. Three themes appeared throughout the interviews: use of curriculum, reporting and policy, and bullying vs. conflict. The results are stated in length, followed by a discussion and the implications of the study. It is important that school social workers continue to evaluate their own bullying curriculum within their school, looking at the school’s climate, positive relationships with students and staff, and how they may be able to utilize the key principles towards fighting bullying within their school, as well as using a curriculum that makes sense. Special attention should also be placed on diversity and age appropriateness of what is being given to the students