Social workers in schools to support pupils and teachers from 2026

Plans to introduce social worker services in selected pilot schools in 2026 were announced by Education Minister Athena Michaelidou on Monday as part of efforts to tackle school violence and delinquency while strengthening pupils’ and teachers’ mental resilience.

Michaelidou said the move forms part of a broader, “holistic” approach to making schools more effective and inclusive.

She said boosting mental resilience has been set as one of the ministry’s main priorities for 2026, with schools soon expected to host both educational psychologists and social workers.

The aim, she explained, is to address issues of violence and delinquency while supporting the wellbeing of both children and teachers.

On violence and delinquency specifically, Michaelidou said the ministry has already compiled protocols and recommendations into manuals to assist teachers, which are now being distributed in both printed and electronic form.

“Moreover, we have intensified our efforts so that core groups – teams of teachers responsible for violence and delinquency, for both prevention and response – operate within schools,” she said.

The minister added that the roles of school counsellors and class teachers are being strengthened, with ministry data showing they are effective as pupils trust them and confide their concerns in them.

In this role, she explained, “the teacher is not just the teacher of their subject, but more of an advisor who talks with them about the issues that concern them.”

She added that the ministry continues to invest in cameras, which have proven effective after school hours, as well as in security officers placed in many secondary schools.

Michaelidou stressed that tackling violence and delinquency is also a family matter, underlining the importance of cooperation with parents’ associations.

“With their help, parents are properly informed and can support their children because the time children spend at school is not enough,” she said.