School Social Worker’s Role in Promoting Inclusive Education

An inclusive environment provides more opportunities, where all stakeholders (parents, teachers, peer groups, community, and administration) are responsible for overall development, while the special education structure lacks exposure to inclusive relationships and learning. The Indian constitution included clauses that safeguarded the rights of both people with and without disabilities. There are numerous laws and regulations, Mental Health Act of 1987, the Persons with Disabilities Act of 1995, the National Trust Act of 1999, the Rights of Persons with Disability Act 2016 (RPWD 2016), and National Education Policy 2020, all offer guidelines for education, welfare and protect the rights of children with disabilities. Recently, NEP 2020 has placed a strong emphasis on inclusive education in all schools, and for those who face educational obstacles, an outside expert (school social worker/counsellor) should be accessible for advocacy and counselling. A school social worker with expertise in intervention techniques and strategies to deal with the issues is of great help in the bigger picture. Despite numerous laws and regulations for inclusive education, there are still many obstacles in its implementation. There are chances for improvement, and school social workers can provide essential services to reduce the hurdles of children with disabilities in receiving inclusive education. This paper highlights the role and importance that school social work practices play in advancing inclusive education.