The 1930s event that shaped the field of school social work by highlighting poverty and welfare needs was?

The 1930s event that shaped the field of school social work by highlighting poverty and welfare needs was?

• A. The New Deal
• B. The Great Depression
• C. The Dust Bowl
• D. World War II

Answer: (B)

The Great Depression is the event that shaped school social work by bringing poverty and welfare needs to the forefront. As mass unemployment and widespread hardship hit families, students faced hunger, unstable housing, health issues, and attendance problems. Schools began to look beyond academics to how these material and family stresses affected learning, prompting social workers to connect families with community resources, coordinate services, and support children’s safety and well-being inside the school setting. The era also saw federal relief efforts under the New Deal that expanded the resources and authority for addressing these needs, further embedding the role of school social workers in linking education with welfare supports. The Dust Bowl and World War II are important context, but the widespread poverty and the push for welfare collaboration during the 1930s best explain how the field was reshaped.

The Great Depression is the event that shaped school social work by bringing poverty and welfare needs to the forefront. As mass unemployment and widespread hardship hit families, students faced hunger, unstable housing, health issues, and attendance problems. Schools began to look beyond academics to how these material and family stresses affected learning, prompting social workers to connect families with community resources, coordinate services, and support children’s safety and well-being inside the school setting. The era also saw federal relief efforts under the New Deal that expanded the resources and authority for addressing these needs, further embedding the role of school social workers in linking education with welfare supports. The Dust Bowl and World War II are important context, but the widespread poverty and the push for welfare collaboration during the 1930s best explain how the field was reshaped.