School social work and school effectiveness in the Gulf states

All schools in the United Arab Emirates employ full-time social workers whose tasks are similar in many respects to those of school psychologists in the West. UAE school social workers are well positioned in the school structure to promote school effectiveness, but, as elsewhere, they work within a bureaucratic framework. Definitions of their work remain imprecise, but one major strand continues to be that of handling disturbed youngsters and dealing with disruptive behaviour. Because of local conditions in the Gulf region social workers' relationships with students' parents and the home are of great importance. The severe shortage of qualified and skilled teachers in the Gulf where most are not local citizens emphasizes the importance of monitoring progress to avoid drop-out-an abiding problem. Rapid, unplanned and unrealistic social policies have created many social problems which adversely affect students' learning and behaviour. Many of these are common to developing and Western societies. Sharing experience could enrich and consolidate school effectiveness theory and emphasize the contribution of school psychologists and social workers.