School Social Work from Mental Health Perspective SinuE* School mental health is one of the most Aspects

of school health service important aspects of the school health The tasks of school health services and community health. School mental are manifold largely depending on health refers to the health of the school the resources and the priorities of the going children. The mental health of community. Broadly speaking, school the child affects his/ her physical health service include the following: health and the learning process. + First-aid and emergency care Maladjustment, juvenile delinquency + Health appraisal of school children and drug addiction plague the present and personnel day youth. Intervention is best + Preventionofconnmmicablediseases initiated in the school because it is the + Remedial measures and follow-up most strategic place for shaping the + Healthy school environment child's behaviour and promoting + Nutritionalservices mental health. + Eye care The school teacher has both positive + Dental care and preventive role. He is concerned + Health education with helping all children attain mental + Education of the handicapped health so that they may develop in to children mature, responsible and well-adjusted + Maintenance and proper use of adults. In a day, on an average, the school health records and child spends nearly 8 hours i.e. one + Mental health service which includes third day in the sch~ol. The school 1. promotion of positive mental health routines and teaching process of 2. prevention of mental disorders acceptance, - assimilation, 3. early recognition and identification accommodation, competition and of mental disorders cooperation determine the mental 4. intervention at early stage and health of the child. follow-up According to modern concepts, 5. provision of child-friendly and school mental health service is the healthy environment most economical and powerful means 6. spreading awareness about mental of raising community health. It has illnesses and their treatment developed during the past 70 years Mentally healthy student from the narrower concept of medica I A mentally healthy student accepts examination of children to the present himsel(with his strong points and his day broader concept of shortcomings; he makes the best useof comprehensive care of the health and what he has and seldom allows his well being of children throughout the personal weaknesses to interfere with school years. his daily activities and his pursuit of
*Sinu E, MSW is a M Phil student in Department of Psychfatric Social Work, NIMHANS, Bangalore

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long range goals. The emotionally healthy student strikes a balance between his instincts and his conscience coupled with the demands of the environment. Let us see how teachers, parents -and the school environment itself can act as agents to foster the mental health of the child. Teacher as an agent of mental health A good teacher is impartial and fair to all. He has pleasing personal manners and appearance. He is cooperative, friendly,kind, patient, and democratic. He defuses any tension in the class by timely humour. Shows keen interest in the problems of the children in order to find suitable solutions. He uses praise and recognition in good measure when children excel in studies or other related activities. He never bullies or humiliates the child in any manner. He understandshis prime role i.e. teaching and is proficient in teaching the chosen subject. Such a teacher will motivate the children to study well. Now-a-days teachers are also catalysts, enablers and motivators. Learning can take place only when there is a need, drive, motive and an appropriate goal. Even if anyone ofth~ components is missing the child's progress will be thwarted. Teacher, as an agent of school mental health, helps the child choose an appropriate goal thereby creating a need to be motivated to strive for its achievement. Parents: agents of school mental health Cultivating emotional intelligence of children is the major role of parents. Words and actions of parents and teachers influence the child's Journal of School Social Work

developing self-image more than anything else in the world. When parents praise the children for even small accomplishments, it nurturesthe child's pride. Letting the childrendo things themselves makes them feel capable and confident. On the contrary, if the children are compared adversely with others, it will makethem ashamed and feel worthless too. The role of parents in shaping the following five essential components of emotional intelligence is noteworthy: 1. Self-awareness 2. Self-regulation 3. Motivation 4. Empathy and 5. Social skills Handling emotions in social relationships well and reading the social .situations ana networks accurately is an easy task for the child who had been brought up in an environment nurturing social and emotional intelligence. School as an agent of school mental health Schools promote mental health and mental well being of the students. If the school environment or the living and learning climate of the school, is child-friendly then it has innumerable vistas to improve the scholastic and emotional lives of the students. Child friendly-school The child feels accepted because the school promotes tolerance to differences (in sex, religion, caste, language or economic status). Equality and solidarity are promoted in good measure. Freedom to express is promoted.

Active involvement of every child is ensured giving each child a taste of living in an atmosphere of cooperation. In a child-friendly school corporal punishment is avoided because it fosters violence and/or social deviance. The child's self-esteem and self-confidence are bolstered in every possible way. through activities and opportunities for expression and excellence. The economic needs of the socially underpr'ivileged students are met through government grants or philanthropists. Studiesin Indian context In India, several studies. focused on theproblems of mental health among childrenand adolescents (Surya 1964, K.C.Dube 1967, Verghese and Beig
Bibliography

1974, John P John 1980 Filbo and Srinivasamurthy 1981 and Shariff 1982). These studies revealed that morbidity is quite high in child population ranging from 5% to 15%. Most of these children suffer from anxiety, hysteria, emotional and conduct problems which are easily treatable. If such problems are unidentified and uncare4 for, they may cause serious problems in later life. Conclusion, Complexities of life have reached a stage where no school will be complete without a counselor' and mental health specialist being present in it. The school social worker has indeed a great deal to offer.

Parthasarathy R 1992 Parthasarathy Rand Rao Y.N 1998 Parthasarathy Rand Rao Y.N 1986 Kapur Mallavika
1993

Kapur Mallavika 1995 Kapur Mallavika 1997 Constable, Robert T 1982 Robinson Margaret 1976

Mental Health Perspective in the New System: The Hindu, 'Dee 14 Child Mental Health: Proceedings of the Indo-US Symposium, Bangalore:NIMHANS Mental Health of Indian Children, New Delhi: Sage publications Mental Health in Indian School, New Delhi: Sage publications School Social Work: Practice and Research Perspective, Illinois:Dor sey Press Schools and Social Work, London: Kegan Paul Publishers

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