Health Promotion in Children and Youth: Contributions of Social Work in Building Collaborative Networks in Schools in Portugal

Abstract

In Portugal, direct-practice with children and youth in schools was a traditional area of social work intervention especially with regard to health education. However, direct-practice by social workers in schools has significantly declined in recent years. This article presents a case study in this area highlighting the “Plataforma Saúde na Escola” (Health Platform at School), a program developed by the municipality of Cascais, located near Lisbon. The article explores new contributions for social work intervention with children and youth in schools. The program being described draws upon a collaboration of different areas and organizations in which social work is a component to promote/improve the social determinants of children’s health. The analysis of the program focuses on the methodological and ethical-political dimensions. The major finding is that the collective function of social work with children and youth people is enhanced through collaborative networks and the strengthening of empowerment, both individual and structural.