School Social Work Services in Federally Funded Programs

An African American Perspective

Hope M. Bland and Ashraf Esmail

This book identifies the barriers between social work intervention in education and government-funded programs that impact African American students. The chapters approach these issues from a child-centered perspective, which has proven critical in developing positive and sustainable relationships with African American students. As children begin to understand more about their lives and the world around them, they also develop opinions that help them identify who they are as individuals and where they see themselves in the world. From a qualitative research methodology approach, trust has been identified as a fundamental factor and potential barrier among all variables acknowledged. Interviews with ten African American high school and college students were conducted to discuss their perspectives on education, family life, peer interaction, and social work intervention.

University Press of America

Pages: 170 • Trim: 6 x 9

978-0-7618-6009-9 • Paperback • October 2012 • $44.99 • (£35.00)

978-0-7618-6010-5 • eBook • October 2012 • $42.50 • (£35.00)

Series: Issues in Black Education

Subjects: Social Science / Social Work, Education / General, Education / Multicultural Education, Education / Philosophy, Theory & Social Aspects, Education / Student Life & Student Affairs, Social Science / Black Studies (Global), Education / Urban

School Social Work Services in Federally Funded Programs

An African American Perspective

Paperback

eBook

Summary

This book identifies the barriers between social work intervention in education and government-funded programs that impact African American students. The chapters approach these issues from a child-centered perspective, which has proven critical in developing positive and sustainable relationships with African American students. As children begin to understand more about their lives and the world around them, they also develop opinions that help them identify who they are as individuals and where they see themselves in the world. From a qualitative research methodology approach, trust has been identified as a fundamental factor and potential barrier among all variables acknowledged. Interviews with ten African American high school and college students were conducted to discuss their perspectives on education, family life, peer interaction, and social work intervention.

Details

University Press of America

Pages: 170 • Trim: 6 x 9

978-0-7618-6009-9 • Paperback • October 2012 • $44.99 • (£35.00)

978-0-7618-6010-5 • eBook • October 2012 • $42.50 • (£35.00)

Series: Issues in Black Education

Subjects: Social Science / Social Work, Education / General, Education / Multicultural Education, Education / Philosophy, Theory & Social Aspects, Education / Student Life & Student Affairs, Social Science / Black Studies (Global), Education / Urban

Author

Hope M. Bland practices school social work for an urban public school district and is an adjunct professor at Lourdes University in Sylvania, Ohio where she teaches multicultural perspectives.

Ashraf Esmail is an assistant professor in social sciences at Southern University at New Orleans. His research interests include urban, multicultural, and peace education, family, cultural diversity, political sociology, criminology, social problems, and deviance.

Table of Contents

Tables
Series Foreword by Dr. Abul Pitre
Foreword by Dr. Joy Smith McElveen, LCSW
Preface by Ira Arthell Neighbors, Ph.D.
Acknowledgment
Chapter One: Introduction
Chapter Two: Literature Review
Chapter Three: Methodology
Chapter Four: Data Collection and Analysis
Chapter Five: Results, Conclusions, and Recommendations
References
Index

Reviews

I read with interest the results of this research, which lay an important framework for further study. Particularly for those not in the educational field, the implications are clear and intriguing. In addition, providing an avenue for black students to voice their perceptions regarding the current system of social work services is extremely valuable. I eagerly anticipate a positive reaction from both the academic and lay communities and hope this work is disseminated widely.

— Margaret LaPorte, Ph.D, University of Illinois at Chicago

All too often social work services are not included as a part of programs designed to meet the needs of students, especially minority students. Bland and Esmail investigated the inclusion of social work services in a GEAR-UP program for African American students finding trust was an issue for these students and trust also affected how they shared personal experiences. The GEAR-UP program made them feel academically advanced and prepared for post-secondary education. The book adds to the literature on how programs affect their participants and how social services might be added into programs for minority students.

— Elizabeth L. Pearman, Ph.D, Pearman & Associates