SCHOOL SOCIAL WORK IN HELPING STUDENTS RESPONDING TO THE COVID-19 EPIDEMIC AT KHANH HOA UNIVERSITY

: School social work, along with its function and roles, is an indispensable area that helps to prevent and to reduce school problems, creating a healthy education environment for the peacefulness and safety of teaching and learning activities. School social workers are an integral link between school, home, and community in helping students achieve academic success. They work directli with school administrations as well as students and families, providing leadership in forming school discipline policies, mental health intervention, crisis management, and support services. During the COVID-19 pandemic, students of Khanh Hoa University are in the group of people who have been severeli affected. The group of social work lecturers at Khanh Hoa University have promoted their role in providing psychological support and connection of support resources to students who tested positive for COVID-19 and students who had close contact with those patients. A qualitative study using two methods of in-depth interview and group discussion to analize the social work in helping students affected by the COVID-19 epidemic at Khanh Hoa University. On the basis of the results, the author makes recommendations to contribute to improving the quality of school social work activities in response to the pandemic at Khanh Hoa University.