Social Worker - SPARK Schools Support Office - 2026 at SPARK Schools

Purpose of Role:

• Scholar welfare specialist and family support practitioner; identifies, assesses, and supports learners and families facing social, emotional, and environmental challenges that impact learning.

Reports To: Child Protection Officer

Department: Schools

Location: SPARK Primary School / SPARK High School

Purpose of the role:

• Scholars receiving individual support demonstrate measurable improvement in emotional resilience, coping skills, and academic engagement with personalised counselling plans documented, implemented, reviewed, and updated regularly.
• Group counselling and preventive programmes address the most prevalent socio-emotional challenges at the school - with conflict resolution, stress management, mental health awareness, and life skills embedded in the school’s support programme.
• Every scholar in crisis receives an immediate, compassionate, and appropriately coordinated response with multi-agency referrals made promptly and every crisis case documented and followed up until resolved.
• School leadership and teachers receive timely, practical insights and strategies from the Social Worker enabling classroom environments that actively support scholars’ social-emotional development alongside academic performance.
• All psychosocial cases are accurately documented, reported to the Child Protection Officer within required timelines, and supported through the appropriate DSD, SAPS, or community referral channels when external intervention is required.

Responsibilities generally include:

 Individual Counselling and Therapeutic Support

• Provide one-on-one counselling sessions for scholars dealing with emotional distress, academic pressures, behavioural challenges, and family difficulties developing personalised counselling plans that address each scholar’s unique needs and build emotional resilience.
• Equip scholars with lifelong tools for emotional regulation, self-awareness, and interpersonal skills ensuring that emotional support extends beyond crisis resolution to building the capacity scholars need to thrive academically and personally.
• Maintain confidential, accurate, and up-to-date records of all individual counselling sessions, interventions, and scholar progress providing regular updates to the Child Protection Officer and school leadership as required.

Group Work, Preventive Programmes, and Community Engagement

• Lead group counselling sessions that focus on building essential life skills including conflict resolution, stress management, peer relationships, and effective study habits creating a supportive peer environment that encourages collaboration and empathy.
• Develop and implement school-wide preventive programmes aimed at reducing bullying, substance abuse, mental health deterioration, and poor academic outcomes with workshops and awareness initiatives that promote positive behaviour across the school community.
• Serve as an advocate for scholars’ well-being within the school environment coordinating and participating in parent and community engagement activities that strengthen the protective factors around vulnerable scholars.

Crisis Intervention and Multi-Agency Coordination

• Offer immediate and structured intervention for scholars in crisis — including trauma, mental health breakdowns, family emergencies, and abuse disclosures — working with school leaders and external agencies to ensure scholars receive appropriate care and a safe, supported return to their academic environment.
• Liaise with external service providers including DSD, SAPS, mental health services, and community organisations to connect scholars and families with the resources they need — managing referral processes with accuracy and follow-through (SS01).
• Collaborate with the Child Protection Officer on all cases requiring statutory reporting or inter-agency involvement — ensuring that SPARK’s child protection protocols are followed precisely and that every disclosure is handled with the dignity and urgency it demands..

Documentation, Reporting, and Professional Practice

• Maintain confidential and accurate records of all counselling sessions, psychosocial assessments, crisis interventions, and referrals ensuring records are complete, retrievable, and compliant with SPARK’s documentation standards and applicable legislation.
• Prepare regular reports for school leadership, the Child Protection Officer, and parents on scholar progress, wellbeing, and intervention outcomes with insights translated into practical recommendations that inform school policy and classroom practice.
• Participate actively in professional development opportunities, supervision sessions, and the wider SPARK social work community maintaining SACSSP registration in good standing and upholding the highest standards of professional social work ethics.
• Please note this role is on an initial 12-month contract (1 year)

Requirements
Qualifications and Criteria:

• Education: NQF Level 7 (post-graduate diploma or honours advantageous) qualification in Social Work. 
• Professional Registration: South African Council for Social Service Professions (SACSSP).
• Experience: Minimum 3-7 years of counselling experience in a primary school setting, with expertise in supporting scholars’ emotional, social, and academic needs.
• Skills: Strong counselling skills with experience in crisis intervention, child development, and academic support. Excellent communication and collaboration abilities with scholars, parents, and staff.
• Languages: Speak, Write and Understand English. Speak and understand a minimum of four (4) South African languages.
• Criminal record: Clear criminal record, SAPS clearance certificate required

Qualities: 

• Grit:​ Persistence through challenges. 
• Excellence:​ A track record of high expectations personally and professionally. 
• Mission and Vision Alignment​: Understanding of and passion for the SPARK Schools mission to provide excellent education at an affordable cost. 
• Self­ Reflection: Finding the capacity to bring your best self to challenges and opportunities.