SOCIAL WORK INTERVENTION STRATEGIES FOR VICTIMS OF TRUANCY AND JUVENILE DELINQUENCY IN SELECTED PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN OVIA NORTH EAST LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA EDO STATE

This study examined the “Social Work Intervention Strategies for Victims of Truancy and Juvenile Delinquency in Selected Public Secondary Schools in Ovia North East Local Government Area of Edo State, Nigeria.” Truancy and juvenile delinquency have become pressing social and educational challenges, threatening academic achievement, school discipline, and the broader social development of young people. These behaviours are influenced by multiple socio-cultural, economic, and family-related factors, which often leave affected students vulnerable to further academic and social failure. Social work intervention provides a professional framework to address these challenges by offering preventive, remedial, and rehabilitative support for students at risk. The objectives of the study were to: identify the causes of truancy and juvenile delinquency in selected public secondary schools in Ovia North East Local Government Area, examine the social, economic, and cultural factors influencing these behaviours, explore the effectiveness of social work intervention strategies in addressing truancy and juvenile delinquency, assess the roles of schools, families, and communities in supporting victims, and investigate the challenges facing social workers in implementing interventions. The study adopted Social Learning Theory and Ecological Systems Theory as its theoretical framework. A quantitative approach was adopted, using survey research design. The study population comprised secondary school students, teachers, parents, and social workers in Ovia North East LGA. A sample size of 400 respondents was selected through multi-stage sampling
using systematic techniques. Data collection instruments included a structured questionnaire, validated by experts in social work. Reliability was ensured through testretest procedures. The findings revealed that peer pressure, poor parental supervision,
poverty, broken homes, negative school environments, and socio-cultural influences were major causes of truancy and juvenile delinquency. The study further showed that while social workers play an important role in counseling, advocacy, and school–community mediation, their involvement in secondary schools remains limited due to institutional, financial, and policy-related challenges. The study recommended, among others, that the government should integrate professional social workers into school systems to provide counseling and rehabilitation services; families and communities should be sensitized to their roles in curbing truancy and delinquency; and targeted economic and educational support should be provided for vulnerable students. Strengthening collaboration between schools, families, and community stakeholders was also emphasized as a key strategy to
reduce the menace