Challenges Experienced by School Social Workers in Selected Schools of the O. R. Tambo District Municipality, South Africa

Schools globally play a crucial role in nurturing learners’ success. As such, the school social work practice plays a significant role in ensuring quality education and psycho-social support in line with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4, which promotes access to quality education. School social workers, as part of the school system, face significant challenges that hinder service delivery. This study specifically sought to explore the challenges experienced by school social workers in implementing psychosocial services in selected schools in the O.R. Tambo District Municipality. Guided by Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory, a qualitative research approach was employed. The study adopted a descriptive design, utilising a phenomenological approach to capture participants' lived experiences. Data was collected through in-depth semi-structured interviews and a focus group discussion with 12 school social workers and 4 key informants, including school principals and social work supervisors. The credibility of the study was enhanced through data triangulation by comparing and merging information collected from school social workers and key informants. Data was analysed using thematic analysis, resulting in seven major themes. The findings revealed critical challenges, including high caseloads and staff shortages, inadequate resources and infrastructure, limited support from school management, emotional burnout, cultural and language barriers, insufficient professional development, and policy and administrative obstacles. As such, these factors significantly undermine the effectiveness of social work interventions in schools. The study concludes that addressing these challenges requires systemic, policy, and school-level reforms. Key recommendations include recruiting additional school social workers, improving resource allocation, continuous professional development, stronger collaboration with school management, and streamlining administrative processes to enable more effective interventions.