On behalf of the Authority for Schools, Families and Vocational Training of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg, Prof. Dr Karsten Speck (University of Oldenburg) is monitoring and evaluating school social work in general education schools in Hamburg. The study has the multi-professional co-operation between the various stakeholders at its centre.

In order to gain academic insights into school social work within co-operation between professionals in Hamburg, the following are planned: 1. secondary analyses of quantitative data and relevant documents; 2. qualitative surveys with various stakeholders at the operational and management levels; and 3. a quantitative survey of various stakeholder groups.

The evaluation began at the end of 2025 with a kick-off event at the Hamburg Ministry of Education, Family and Vocational Training, at which the study design and key milestones were agreed. From the start of the 2026 summer semester, 19 students will also be involved in the evaluation as part of the project phase of their Bachelor’s degree in Education. The students are taking part in the seminars led by Prof. Dr Karsten Speck and Dr Anja Schäfer and, within this framework, are responsible for the detailed design, implementation and analysis of qualitative and quantitative surveys. The students will present their findings in February 2027.

The evaluation project will run until September 2028.