Evaluation of school adaptation processes of chi̇ldren under protection and care in the context of school social servi̇ce/work

EVALUATION OF SCHOOL ADAPTATION PROCESSES OF CHİLDREN UNDER PROTECTION AND CARE IN THE CONTEXT OF SCHOOL SOCIAL SERVİCE/WORK ABSTRACT In our country, children who are determined to be in need of protection are taken under protection and care and kept in certain institutions by the state. Children under protection and care may experience some problems due to various traumas, neglect, changes of location, etc. The problem of adaptation to school is only one of them. When considered within the scope of the subject of the study, the research aims to evaluate the practices that can be carried out in order to identify and solve the problems experienced by children under protection and care in school and to ensure that their school adaptation processes progress positively in the context of school social work. Case study design, one of the qualitative research methods, was used in the research. In the research process, first of all, in-depth interviews were conducted with a total of 10 teachers using a semi-structured interview form by contacting teachers in schools where children under protection and care living in Gölcük district of Kocaeli province study.In the analysis of the findings obtained from the interviews, six main themes were reached by using MAXQDA 2024 qualitative data analysis program. These themes were named as "Problems Encountered at School", "Degree of School Adaptation", "Practices for School Adaptation", "Solution of Problems Experienced in School Adaptation Process", "Definition of School Social Work" and "Contribution of School Social Workers to School Adaptation Process". The suggestions given by the teachers regarding the positive progress of the school adaptation process of children under protection and care were included under the title of suggestions. Within the scope of the results obtained from the research, it was learned that children under protection and care face "school adaptation problems" and "being exposed to exclusion" in addition to the problems experienced by children growing up with their families. In line with the data obtained from the study, it was determined that the relationship between school adaptation of students under protection and care and school social service/work was better understood, and the study contributed to emphasizing the necessity of school social service/work practice in our country. Keywords: Children Under Protection and Care, School Adaptation, School Social Work, Qualitative Research