A Conceptual Review of School Social Workers in Student Wellbeing and Educational Equity in Occurrence of Contemporary Roles and Challenges

School Social Workers (SSWs) have become increasingly central in addressing student wellbeing, trauma recovery, educational equity, interprofessional collaboration, and resource brokerage within schools. However, evidence suggests that SSWs face persistent structural challenges such as unclear role definitions, high caseloads, insufficient institutional support, fragmented service systems, and emotional labour leading to burnout and turnover intentions. This conceptual review synthesizes recent research (2022–2026) to develop an integrated understanding of how school social work functions within multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS), trauma-informed schooling, equity-driven practice, and interdisciplinary mental health collaboration. A conceptual framework is proposed to clarify the mechanisms through which SSWs influence student outcomes and how contextual barriers constrain these roles. The review concludes with implications for practice, policy, training, and research, along with targeted recommendations for strengthening school social work services.