Introducing a Best Practice: "Student social care system" against social Harms and risky behaviors in Iranian schools.

Nader MansourKiaee

You may be the director or one of the cultural colleagues working in the school. In that case, you are probably worried about the risk of social damage among the students of your school and class or disruption of their mental health status, and this question may have occurred to you, how can I protect the students of the school or class. Should I take care of myself against social harm? How can I identify at-risk or damaged students? After identifying students at risk and injured, how can I ask for help for them? How do I know what help they need? How should I know the level of their problem and vulnerability? Where should I refer them? Who or what institutions provide treatment and social support services? How can I help a student who is on the path to treatment and social support? After receiving treatment and social support services, how can I ensure his recovery and stability? And finally, how do I help a traumatized student who has gone through the process of treatment and social support to reintegrate with the school?

For this purpose, the Supreme Welfare and Social Security Council, in its meeting dated 16 December 2014, approved a document titled "Student Social Care System Coalition Document" as a multilateral cooperation pact between 9 organizations.

This document, which was compiled in order to synergize and integrate capacities and expand cooperation for the establishment of the social care system for students, in a situation where the risks threatening children and adolescents, is one of the concerns of experts, planners and families. can be a promising ground for education, empowerment and timely preventive interventions in the field of social damage and high-risk behaviors that threaten children and adolescents.

What is meant by social care system?

The meaning of the social care system for students is a systematic set of services and programs, including screening, training, empowerment and psycho-social support, in order to take care of students against high-risk behaviors, social harms and crimes through timely and effective intervention.

The meaning of the social care system includes several dimensions and contexts, the sum of which forms the "social care system". The first point is the legal aspect. That is, we must enact clear laws in various fields related to social harm and dangers to children and teenagers, and we must set technical protocols in the implementation of those laws. For example, we need to clarify and explain, both in terms of laws and protocols, how to screen and serve children and adolescents who live in risky environments or need social emergencies. The second point is the infrastructure dimension. That is, we must provide the necessary capacities to serve children and teenagers, both for taking care of social damage and when there is a risk of dangerous and unfortunate events, and we must design and provide social emergencies for them. The third point is the smart aspect of the social care system. In the sense that it should be able to provide the necessary services both for timely prevention and timely care, so that it acts intelligently both in the field of monitoring and screening and in the field of social emergencies. One of the accessories of this intelligence is the fourth point of this care system, that is synergy. This means that if the social care system brings together the capacities related to social emergencies in the form of a regular and defined cooperation, then it can act intelligently and timely. How to screen, after screening, where to refer, for what period of time is this referral, in case of referral, what is its legal support, how is the provision of medical services, counseling and assistance, and what are the technical criteria. And a set of other questions are questions that paying close attention to them and providing a solution for them can provide the basis for defining a mechanism for the social care system.

What necessity and goals led to the formation of this coalition?

Various necessities and reasons led to the formation of this coalition, some of which I will mention here. (1) establishing a comprehensive system of social care for students (school-based, family-based, neighborhood-based) through inter-sectoral partnership based on the indigenous model and Islamic-Iranian lifestyle (2) expanding growth-oriented education in the field of preventing high-risk behaviors, social damage and delinquency (3) creating a system for identifying vulnerable and damaged students through scientific checklists (4) designing and developing effective support and empowerment interventions for students (5) establishing a suitable referral system to provide services and support to students ( 6) Capacity building to increase protective factors and reduce risky factors of students in school, family and neighborhood.

(7) synergy of resources and programs of institutions and institutions and mobilization of the capacity of public participation and charity for

Social care system

Currently, many services related to this social care system are provided separately by the country's social and cultural institutions. It seems that if we pay attention to some important points, the ground for the establishment of the social care system will be provided. The first point is to define this social care system. Let me give an example. Despite the approval of the protection law of Children and Adolescents (1399) and its implementation regulations (1400) in our country, regulations

We have about social emergencies, but it seems that we have to take a bigger step and that is the drafting of social care bylaws, in which case, bylaws such as social emergencies, social work bylaws, or even the establishment of laws in This is the field, sides and parts of this social care system. The second point is to draw up a national treaty in which the country's executive bodies recognize their missions and duties in this social care system and bring their capacities and infrastructure to the field. The third point is the regulation of technical protocols related to the implementation of the social care system. For example, we should have a specific protocol in the field of social work as an important part of this social care system that includes a range from screening to social services.

The fourth point is the laws and regulations that support the social care system and each of its aspects, so that in each step, along with the precise determination of responsibilities, related laws and supporting rights are formulated. Finally, the social care system should be included in the development plans of our country, and credit and infrastructure per capita should be considered for it, and it should grow according to the population, climatic characteristics, land use patterns and other variables, and continuously. be observed

"NEMAD", what goals does it pursue?

- General goal: providing and promoting social care for school students with a school-oriented empowerment approach

- Dedicated goals

- The establishment of a comprehensive system of social care for students (school-based, family-based, neighborhood-based) through interdisciplinary cooperation based on the indigenous model and Islamic-Iranian lifestyle.

- Expansion of growth-oriented trainings in the field of prevention of high-risk behaviors, social damage and delinquency

- Creating a system for identifying vulnerable and injured students through scientific checklists

- Designing and developing effective supportive and empowering interventions for students

- Establishment of appropriate referral system to provide services and support to students

- Building capacity to increase protective factors and reduce risky factors of students in school, family and neighborhood

- Synergy of resources and programs of institutions and institutions and mobilization of the capacity of public participation and charity for the social care system.

What is the "NEMAD" framework like?

"NEMAD" framework is designed with emphasis on three axes of identification, education and intervention. Of course, promotional and complementary activities will be desired by the coalition. The three axes that I mentioned, each one will include the activities that I mentioned. (1) Identification and screening in schools through field evidence, standard psychological tests, risk tests, clinical evidence and checklists will also be used. (2) growth oriented trainings; It includes training and empowering teachers and parents, producing a prevention curriculum related to each academic course and its educational resources, holding and implementing preventive growth training courses, implementing complementary and promotional activities (3) situational and psycho-social interventions; including intervention measures to reduce risk factors (including policing measures and adapting spaces), holding meetings and training courses for families (especially those that need attention), psycho-social services and support, support services for families, assistance Legal and financial requirements, family and individual counseling, educational assistance, treatment and rehabilitation

"NEMAD", what tools does it have?

training section :

In this section, guides have been prepared for students, parents and school staff, with the aim of using them in advanced training. These guides have been developed in the field of self-care skills and in topics such as self-awareness, trust, self-confidence, forgiveness, patience, emotion management, stress control, self-management and cognitive regulation of emotions, separately for parents, employees and students.

Screening section:

In this section, in addition to (1) questionnaires and screening tools, (2) guides for how to use and implement questionnaires and screening tools have been prepared and compiled.

These guides include questionnaires in two axes (1) screening for mental and behavioral disorders (2) screening for high-risk behaviors, which are divided into three academic courses and It is gender discrimination.

Service packages section:

In this section, service delivery guides are compiled in two parts (1) psychological intervention guide including (a) mental and behavioral disorders (b) disorders related to high-risk behaviors (2) guidance for social support and employment services, and a part of it is also being edited.

Brief action section:

In this section, guides have been prepared for teachers, according to which, after preparing the student screening report or preparing a profile for them, the status of each teacher's class is reported to him, so that the teacher, knowing the status of his classroom, can Using the technical guides that are available for him in the system, implement a brief intervention for the students of his classroom and even if necessary, one or more specific students.

These guides have been prepared and compiled according to important topics related to mental health disorders and social harms of students.

What is the "NEMAD" infrastructure?

comprehensive system "NEMAD"

This system guides all the five processes of screening, education, brief action, treatment and social support. The new version of this system operates at the My.Medu.ir address and all school and education staff can view it in their work folder.

"NEMAD" national line

This line that to No. 1570 operates, it provides the necessary services to students, parents and schools in three departments of guidance, counseling and social work by networking school and education consultants across the country.

NEMAD table

In order to develop the "NEMAD" network across the country, inter-organizational synergy and monitoring the process of "NEMAD" implementation, the "NEMAD" desk has been set up in all general education departments across the country, and based on the "NEMAD" instructions , they operate.

What is the framework of inter-organizational cooperation in "NEMAD"?

- Establishing a secretariat in order to share common resources and capacities in order to meet the goals of the document.

- Creating a system for identifying and strengthening protective factors and continuous observation of students' dangerous factors in school, family and neighborhood

- Designing and setting up a system to identify children and teenagers who need attention in order to implement preventive educational, psychological and social interventions.

- Implementation of screening and referral system

- Providing counseling and social work services for students and their families

- Providing legal aid and support for students

- Creating a mechanism to implement joint programs in the field of situational prevention in order to reduce the risk factors of students

- Evaluation and continuous needs assessment, identification of opportunities and attraction of public participation and sharing

Charitable and public capacities of member organizations and institutions

- Establishment of a feedback system, monitoring and effectiveness measurement

"NEMAD", how does it work?

Process

"NEMAD", which is implemented based on the dedicated system of the same name, has 5 sections: education, screening, brief action, treatment and social support. In the education section, using booklets prepared separately for students, parents and staff, you can teach preventive and self-care skills to empower students, parents and staff against social harm and health disorders. Train, train. In the screening section, which includes various questionnaires and checklists, it is possible that in addition to the implementation of standard questionnaires for students, as a result of which, the risk status of students is determined, through the checklists, the situation Register students' vulnerability according to symptoms and problems, so that they can be referred for receiving services and also request help for students. In the brief action section, teachers can make brief interventions to improve the condition of students or their classroom using the results of their class screenings and with the help of special booklets and record the report. In the treatment department, counseling and psychological services are provided to students at the school or at the counseling and psychological services center, and if they need medical and psychiatric services, they are introduced to specialized treatment centers outside of education. In the social support sector, students need services such as basic service packages such as clothing, livelihood assistance, stationery and specialized service packages such as police and judicial assistance, financial assistance (such as insurance and direct financial assistance), services Guardianship, covered by these services in schools, education and other service providers, Placed.

In general, "NEMAD" interventions are leveled and based on the student's condition.

The process of school interventions is as follows:

School intervention

Brief intervention/guidance by the teacher: This intervention is based on the "Mental Health Promotion at School" guide.

And also the brief intervention guide package that is loaded in the "NEMAD" system is carried out.

Consultant intervention: This intervention includes two parts (1) diagnosis and (2) counseling. In the diagnosis section,

The consultant based on the technical standards (especially the interview guide) his report about the leveling

Provides student status. This report includes brief school interventions or references to

The core/consultation center is at the regional level.

Promotional training interventions: This type of intervention, according to the leveling of the student's status, to one of

It takes place in the following two ways. (1) Training of basic self-care skills: This type of training is carried out for students who have a normal condition, in the form of general and national promotional trainings of "NEMAD". (2) Specific skills training: This category of skills is implemented for students who have been identified as being at risk. (3) Resilience skills training: This category of skills is for students at risk, high risk and with psychosocial emergencies.

Runs.

Social work: after evaluating and determining the situation of student's problems and needs in different areas of social work services in the school, it includes two categories. (2) Basic level: which includes

Necessary aid and basic support as needed to minimize the risk situation

student, takes place. (2) Specialized: At this level, finding support and special financial facilities

To treat and reduce the damage of the student, it is done with the coordination of the region and to provide judicial and police assistance, it is also introduced to the NEMAD committee of the region.

- Explanation: The responsibility of social work in the school is the responsibility of the counselor or educational coach or one of the

It is the employees who have the necessary expertise in this field and are selected by the school team.

"NEMAD" has a comprehensive process that includes screening, education, brief action, treatment and social support. Here, we review these sections together.

screening

"NEMAD" has designed and made available questionnaires so that with its help, students can state and report their situation. This is how it works It is possible that by participating in the completion of these questionnaires, which we call screening, students can participate in the analysis of their situation and use the recommendations of counselors, experts and specialists to improve or promote psychosocial health.

Parents and teachers can do the same. Because in the "NEMAD" screening, questionnaires have been designed for parents and teachers, with their help, they can give opinions about their students and children and thus help protect them.

Promotional activities

"NEMAD", in order to improve the psychosocial abilities of students, designed the promotional activities section

and has launched which includes two parts (a) promotional trainings (b) promotion activities. In the advanced education department, by designing different booklets, it is possible for students, parents and employees to have access to the educational resources they need. In the promotion activities department,

It is possible to participate in complementary and extracurricular activities, such as cultural, artistic and sports events.

The promotion activities department is one of the 5 main departments of the national "NEMAD" program, which is designed both independently and intertwined with the other four departments. So that students, parents, and schools can independently receive and use their favorite booklets in the "NEMAD" system, and they can, based on the results of screenings, to improve or strengthen a few of their skills, from Use these booklets as well as promotional activities on a case-by-case basis.

Brief action

"NEMAD" has designed tools that help teachers to know how they can help the student, depending on the type of student's problem.

Brief action begins in at least two ways. (A) At the initiative of the teacher and the centering of the "NEMAD"-oriented symptom department, in which case, brief intervention booklets, related to the problem that the teacher sees in his class, are studied and implemented. (b) Based on the reminders that are activated in the teacher's folder according to the results of the screenings of the students of the class, and based on that, the teacher performs his brief action focusing on the booklets related to that problem.

treatment

In this section, the services needed by students in the field of treatment (including psychological, psychiatric and medical treatments in the fields of psychosocial health) are provided to students.

In this section, students are examined by consultants (and selected trainers) by participating in the screening or through the introduction of parents, teachers and all educational, educational and executive colleagues, and after diagnosing and leveling the problem, the services provided He needs to be treated at one of the school, district or other levels Medical devices and centers provide him.

At the school level: at this level, the school counselor, using diagnostic tools (including;

Standard interview guide, as well as interaction with students and parents of screening results

And the students report diagnoses the problem or disorder. It examines the student's condition and registers the result in the "NEMAD" system, and then any treatment is done after the school diagnosis, at the school level and, if necessary, by referring the students at the core/counseling center level. So ,

After the diagnosis, if the student is at risk, and the school offers him a service

It is not referred to the region. At-risk students who have not received services at school, as well as high-risk students, are referred to the district. Students in emergency cases, without going through

In the diagnosis stage, they are referred to the district

is located, the school can act quickly with the coordination of the district.)

At the regional level: diagnosis and treatment interventions in the region are as follows: (1) diagnosis: this service,

It is done for students who have received part of the services at school and also for high-risk and non-emergency cases. Students who are in a state of psychosocial emergency,

Non-stop, by the "Social Work" unit to follow up for treatment and work.

After obtaining written consent from the guardian or legal guardian and making the necessary arrangements, they are referred to internal or external service providers. (Except for the cases where there is a threat to the student's life, in which case, the next steps will be taken with the coordination of the welfare organization or directly with the coordination of the judicial authority.) (2) Treatment: This service, Referral services are provided to all the students in need of counseling and psychological services centers and centers in the region, and it includes counseling sessions and psychological interventions. At the end of each session, the report of the student's visit and the service provided to him are recorded in the "NEMAD" system.

Explanation: If the psychological interventions are not effective, or if the core/psychological counseling and service center diagnoses, the student needs specialized medical and psychiatric services, in that case, from the very beginning or to complete the treatment, to the service provider centers. A colleague is introduced.

Social support

"NEMAD" has designed social support at two levels, basic and specialized, for students. These contributions are made in at least two ways. (a) through participating in the "NEMAD" screening section, in which case, after analysis and evaluation, the needed services are provided to at-risk students. (b) through introduction by parents or educational colleagues, Educational and executive school in that case also, after review and level The definition of the problem, the essential service of social work, if it is within the school's capacity, will be provided by the school and otherwise, by the regional education department or partner institutions and centers of the "NEMAD" program outside of education. .

1. At-risk students: Social work services for at-risk students, focused on the school.

High-risk students: Social work services provided by education and social workers in the regions are as follows.

- (a) Follow up to attract help to cover the costs of students' treatment (including allowances or insurance for drug abuse treatment, travel costs to visit medical centers. Priority in this field, with unaccompanied students, women's children He is the head of the household, poor families.)

- In this context, the following points are taken into account:

1. Obtaining a commitment from the guardian/legal guardian regarding students with guardians for follow-up

The process of treatment and provision of expenses (except for those cases where there is a threat to the student's life, in which case, the next steps will be taken with the coordination of the welfare organization or directly with the coordination of the judicial authority.)

2. Follow up the treatment of students and establish a relationship with the medical institution that provides the service

- (b) Cooperation with judicial and law enforcement authorities to reduce the student's risk situation (such as dealing with cases where the student lives in an abusive family.)

- Explanation: Treatment centers that have a support unit can help in this field.

- Students with psychosocial emergencies:

Explanation: Regarding the social work of students, the following items have also been requested from the General Department of Education of the province.

1. Identifying and creating a professional relationship with financial, social, welfare and medical resources to help injured students in paying medical expenses, as well as in case of need, coordinating with support and charity organizations to help improve livelihoods and reduce poverty or family background problems

2. Identifying and establishing professional communication with intra-organizational and extra-organizational treatment centers in the province

3. Supporting the actions of the regions and, if necessary, handling special cases referred by the regions

An example: How are social emergencies managed in "NEMAD"?

One of the important examples in the operation of the "NEMAD" program is the management of psychosocial emergencies.

Here is a sample flowchart of managing students' social emergencies, from the time of identification of social emergencies to referral for treatment and social support.

How is the "NEMAD" roadmap defined?

"NEMAD", in addition to the technical aspects, also has a road map in which the directions of movement of "NEMAD" are explained, especially the steps of program universalization. So far, based on this road map, "NEMAD" has been implemented in two short and full versions. The short version of the program is available in the form of the emergency department for all schools in the country.

The full version has been implemented step by step in 72 schools (2014), 512 schools (2015), 6587 schools (2016 to 2018) and 21 thousand schools (2019 so far) and has expanded its coverage.

Conclusion: How can schools help to implement the "NEMAD"?

The national program "NEMAD" is one of the big and long wishes to help the children and teenagers of this land and also to protect them. In order to achieve this great dream, we must take great steps and fulfill the requirements for its implementation.

We believe that "NEMAD" due to the comprehensiveness of goals and processes, is one of the examples of extraordinary and transformational programs, the minimum achievement of which is the reduction of social damage in the country's child and adolescent population.

Schools, to realize this great dream and goal, have a privileged role that can advance the goals of the program and improve its efficiency and effectiveness. Some of the works that schools can implement to help the "NEMAD" are as follows.

- Assisting in the full implementation of the screening and registration of high-risk symptoms as well as psychosocial emergencies of students

- Cooperation in the implementation of "Namad" advanced training department

- Getting to know the "NEMAD" tools

- Continuous work with the "NEMAD" system and the implementation of its processes

- Studying and getting to know the instructions and style sheets of "NEMAD"

- Effective participation in identifying and referring at-risk and injured students

Source :

- Document of the student social care system coalition, Ministry of Education, 2014

- Regulations and instructions of the national program "NEMAD" (promulgated in 2017, 2018 and 2018)

- Technical tools of "Namad", Ministry of Education, Secretariat of National Program "Namad" (available through "NEMAD" comprehensive system)

- Child and Adolescent Protection Law (2019)

- Executive Regulations of the Law on Protection of Children and Adolescents (2022)