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COVID-19 AND SOCIAL WORK: A COLLECTION OF COUNTRY REPORTS
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Country profile on COVID-19 and Social Work: Bangladesh
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... This has shown that there is a need for anti-oppressive and feminist understanding of social work, especially in countries such as Turkey, where welfare services are offered through 'neo-liberal and conservative political rationality' (Acar and Altunok, 2013: 15), referencing patriarchal social norms, religion and traditions. From this point of view, the need to address the various dimensions of gendered oppression directly from the perspective of the subjects of this oppression is highly important for creating more holistic understanding (Dominelli et al., 2020). At this point, Dominelli (2002aDominelli ( , 2002b points to a new ontological and epistemological basis for understanding the forms of oppression from the perspective of feminist social work. ...
... (Interviewee 12, age 43, married with 1 child, visually disabled woman) Similar to the respondents' statements, reports of NGOs (Kalaylıoğlu, 2020;Şenyurt Akdağ et al., 2021) have also confirmed that the risks of loneliness have deepened especially for the elderly, disabled, and caregivers who are users of caring services interrupted by the pandemic and for the marginalized groups who cannot access the social assistance offered through the traditional family model in Turkey. At this point, research findings have shown that the social resilience defined as an important dimension for welfare during and after the pandemic (Dominelli et al., 2020) should be handled through the intersectional nature of solidarity dynamics becoming more visible with the deepening gender oppressions. Within the framework of the narratives of the research subjects, the necessity was highlighted to develop solidarity relations that will unite different groups facing gender-based discrimination and enable them to act with an intersectional consciousness of oppression as constituted by multiple and interacting social structures. ...
The aim of this study is to understand the phenomenon of isolation due to COVID-19 through the lens of a feminist perspective. It focuses on daily life experiences of oppressed individuals living in Çankaya, whose spatial, socio-cultural, and political positions intersect with their age, disability, and gender. Semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with 37 people, of different ages, disabilities, and gender statements. Findings show that multi-dimensional oppressions and discriminations have undermined solidarity relations and result in more profound loneliness. The results highlight that new social work approaches involving intersectional feminist consciousness of oppressions need to be developed.
... Another critical problem that affected social worker in pandemic was the invisibility of social work. According to the studies, invisibility of social work has negative impacts on social workers in terms of workplace stress, burnout as well as their working rights and payments (Cederbaum et al., 2022;Dominelli & Harrikari, 2020). In fact, invisibility problem is not directly related to the pandemic and it did not occur as a new problem. ...
Covid-19, which was declared as pandemic in March 2020 by the World Health Organization but
considered to start in China in late December 2019, has deeply affected social and economic life around
the World. It changed or at least attempted to change all the conventional and ordinary routines of daily
life. Covid-19 pandemic or disease or crisis, regardless of how it is called, this unexpected occurrence
blindsided many States which could not provide their citizens with basic needs and sufficient support.
Yet, some States gradually adapted the process and implemented better crisis intervention practices and
policies.
One of the mostly affected sector from the Covid-19 crisis is the social work because while covid-19
pandemic increased the need of social work, it created new barriers in social work as well. Striving for
meeting the needs of client in terms of social work and eliminating newly occurred barriers in service
increased the burden of social workers. Firstly, this study aims to discuss how social work is affected in
this period by gathering information from the studies and researches and policy documents on this issue.
However this global crisis became a foil for social workers as it enabled the communities to understand
importance of social services and workers all around the world. Whether positive or negative all the
news regarding the social work during this period made social work more apparent and create awareness
on the community. In order to support this idea, in this study the online news published in English,
French and Turkish languages relating to the social work during the covid-19 pandemics are analysed.
The measures taken during the covid-19 pandemics such as social distancing, wearing face masks,
curfews, movement and travel restrictions and being under quarantine, school closures impacted directly
or sometimes indirectly the social work practices. Not only social workers in hospitals or care centers but
also those engaged with clients face to face whether in home or in any institutions were at higher risk of
getting infected by covid-19. Therefore home visits and face to face meeting with clients were laid aside
and new methods in terms of remote communication were developed. Disease risks, remote working,
online and remote meeting with clients were some of the barriers that prevent social work practitioners
to observe client in their natural environment. Naturalistic observation of clients by home visits is a keymethod and help practitioners to observe behaviour of clients, attitudes towards children, spouse and
elderly members etc., dynamics of relationship between family members, power distribution within the
household. Lack of this, decreased the quality of interview with the clients. In case of countries such
as Türkiye, where most of the decisions regarding social work needs of client are taken upon the home
visits, the covid-19 pandemic had deeper impacts on services. This study which depicts the impacts of
the covid-19 crisis on social work practices during in the world, also focuses on the case of Türkiye and
discuss how the policy and practices have been affected. At the last part of the study lessons to be learned
in terms of social work in Türkiye are specified.
... Needless to argue that the toxic culmination of COVID-19 and the internal labour migrant crisis emerged as one of the serious public health problems, besmirched the Government of India's (GOI's) certitude inability to tackle the same, further exacerbated socio-spatial and structural inequalities (Shah and Lerche 2020) transforming migrant crisis into a refugee crisis with immediate impact on livelihood security. The sanctimonious opposition, the left liberals, and the media politicized the issue, designating it as a problem unique to India when neighbouring countries such as Bangladesh and Nepal faced a similar quandary (Barker et al. 2020;Das 2020;Sarker 2020). It is crucial to mention that during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, 1.6 billion informal economy workers worldwide fell into the trap of livelihood loss (United Nations, n.d). ...
Following the announcement of the lockdown on 24 March 2020, India witnessed a mass exodus of interstate/intrastate labour migrants, who are engaged primarily in the informal sector of the economy with no social protection (such as no insurance, no job contract, affordable houses, government-mandated database) per se. This exodus is reckoned as the second largest in the country’s history after undivided India was partitioned in 1947 into India and Pakistan, which was based on religion. During the partition, about 14 million people faced displacement. Seemingly, a World Bank Report (April 2020) titled COVID-19 Crisis Through a Migration Lens unravels that about 40 million internal migrants have been affected by the lockdown; 50,000–60,000 opted for reverse migration. Vulnerability and precarity remain endemic to the lives of migrant labourers. The COVID-19 pandemic has further heightened the precarity and vulnerability of the migrant labourers who are the repositories of ‘hard work capital’. In the wake of the unprecedented crisis, thousands of migrants, and their families (infants and elderly), walked back home on foot for hundreds of miles in the scorching heat; approximately 300 (including children and pregnant women) lost their lives before reaching their native homes. Deploying a systematic review of the literature and using the ‘Just Framework’ strategies, this study aims to assess the vulnerability and precarity of India’s migrant labour force and suggests measures for the improvement of their lives. To accomplish the objectives, the study uses D-series Census of India data in triangulation with Geographic Information System (GIS) alongside the notion of Just Transition by linking it with Sustainable Development Goals (8—decent work and economic growth and 10—reduced inequalities).
... A pressing policy response to support children and families in the context of COVID-19 (summarized after Dominelli et al., 2020). ...
The COVID-19 pandemic has been shaping Chinese social workers to contribute to public health. To study the details, this article aims to explore the roles of social workers during the pandemic in China’s mainland and how social workers fulfilled their roles. The study used a cross-sectional design with a convergent parallel-mixed methodology. Its findings provide another piece of evidence demonstrating the functions of social work practitioners during a health crisis worldwide. However, the ambiguities of the social work profession in addressing public health emergencies were also unveiled in the case of China.
This paper draws on interviews with seventeen school social workers in the Attica and Thessaloniki Regions regarding the challenges that they have faced and their responses during the COVID-19 pandemic. Findings reveal a significant increase in the demands related to behavioural, mental and financial issues faced by students and their families; the inadequacy of means and sources of help, as well as the further deterioration of their working conditions. The limited readiness of school social workers for practicing social work with alternative methods of communication is also discussed. It is argued that in the light of the implications of the COVID-19 pandemic the wider dialogue in the social work profession and academia about the development and use of communication technology should be enhanced. Additionally, it is argued that this period may present an opportunity for school social workers to rethink their models of intervention towards those which draw from the critical tradition of social work and rights-based social work. These models may prove to be more effective in dealing with the complexity and length of the problems that the pandemic has created for professionals and their clients alike, leading to the further development of school social work in Greece.
Social work plays a vital role in containing the corona crisis that has affected millions of people during the last years. This study aims to identify how social work services respond to the urgent social needs of senior citizens. The descriptive-analytical approach was adopted with 50 social workers who work at senior citizens centers at Ajman & Al Sharjah Emirates. The study results reveal modifications in senior citizens' policies and strategic partnerships. Introduction of new high technology instruments for implementing online social work interventions. Health Care mobile unit was suspended, and more emphasis is placed on using sustainable and high-quality medical and social services. Social workers' roles have accommodated participation in the implementation and supervision of new initiatives of online club models-Assala, receiving and responding to requests, supervising subsidies, home nursing, and providing social and psychological care. Also, coordination with relevant institutions, executing research work, reports writing, and adopting WhatsApp group, telephone, Zoom, and other intelligent devices.
This article explores occupational factors and their psychosocial effects on the quality of life of social work professionals during the first three waves of the pandemic in Spain. Design was a qualitative survey research. Participants reported an increase in logistical, administrative and organizational difficulties; perceived work saturation reduced the quality of professional life expressed in terms of work stress; and professionals suggested a lack of recognition of the profession. Despite all the problems, social workers expressed their resilience as an asset. These findings can help in identifying targets to explore the occupational health of social work professionals.
This book shapes a situated body politics to re-think, re-write, and de-colonise social work as a post-anthropocentric discipline headed towards glocalisation, where human and non-human embodiments and agencies are entangled in glocal environmental worlds.
It critically and creatively examines how social work can be theorised, practised, and written in renewed ways through dialogical and transdisciplinary practices. This book is composed of eight essayistic spaces, envisioning social work through embodied, glocal, and earthly entanglements. By drawing on research-based knowledge, autobiographical notes, stories, poetry, photographs, and an art exhibition in social work education, these essays provide readers with analysis and strategies that are useful for research, education, and practice as well as life-long learning.
The book constitutes key literature for researchers, educators, practitioners, and activists in social work, sociology, architecture, art and creative writing, feminist and postcolonial studies, human geography, and post-anthropocentric philosophy. It offers the readers sustainable ways to re-think and re-write social work towards a glocal- and post-anthropocentric more-than-human worldview.
In many countries, the media portray the social work profession in a negative light. The impact of such coverage has been an enduring concern with many commentators signifying the profound consequences for practice and professional morale. However, more investigation is required into how social work has been represented in the Irish ‘print’ media in the wake of severe maltreatment to children, especially following claims of professional negligence. Within Ireland, this is a matter of huge significance for social workers, policymakers and service users. In this context, the media’s recent coverage of the ‘Grace Case’ has led to a watershed moment in the country’s public and private spheres. Using a documentary approach and thematic analysis informed by social constructionism, the study investigated the dominant representations of social work practice in selected Irish newspaper articles in the aftermath of this tragic case. Four major themes were adduced from these sources depicting the profession as ‘failing’, ‘deceptive’, ‘unaccountable’ and ‘divided’. These results were analysed with reference to a growing moral panic within Irish society centring on the role of the state in protecting vulnerable children. A way forward for the profession was subsequently considered drawing on ideas promulgated by social constructionism.
The book addresses the change of social work in the frame of modernisation. Through Mary Richmond’s classical idea of social work, the book seeks to set current societal trends affecting social work into the context of a long historical line, opening spaces for the new debates within the social work discipline as well as proposing and taking some new directions in the current era of compressed modernity. From the viewpoint of social work, there still is an individual in a situation, however, the situation is profoundly changed during the past hundred years.
Divided into 7 chapters, topics covered include first the rethinking of Richmond’s original idea, revisiting the modernisation theories and social transformations as well as discussion on the social work theories and mandates according to the chosen classics. Secondly, the book continues with sketching the pillars of compressed modernity and rethinking of the global and local relations. During the era of glocalisation, polycentrism, digitalisation, and hybridisation the previous conceptualisations of social theory have to be taken under reconsideration. Finally, a proposal for glocal social work vision is represented by setting questions which should be taken under the scrutinity.
Academics, researchers, practising social workers and students of social work as well as of social policy, administration, social law and other social sciences will find this book to be an essential text for understanding the current societal changes, trends and tendencies. The book provides a lot of information for policymakers and citizens interested on the background knowledge for the contemporary societal situation.
More than two decades after Michael Rutter (1987) published his summary of protective processes associated with resilience, researchers continue to report definitional ambiguity in how to define and operationalize positive development under adversity. The problem has been partially the result of a dominant view of resilience as something individuals have, rather than as a process that families, schools,communities and governments facilitate. Because resilience is related to the presence of social risk factors, there is a need for an ecological interpretation of the construct that acknowledges the importance of people's interactions with their environments. The Social Ecology of Resilience provides evidence for this ecological understanding of resilience in ways that help to resolve both definition and measurement problems. © Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2012. All rights reserved.
Global environmental change is occurring at a rate faster than humans have ever experienced. Climate change and the loss of ecosystem services are the two main global environmental crises facing us today. As a result, there is a need for better understanding of the specific and general resilience of networked ecosystems, cities, organisations and institutions to cope with change. In this book, an international team of experts provide cutting-edge insights into building the resilience and adaptive governance of complex social-ecological systems. Through a set of case studies, it focuses on the social science dimension of ecosystem management in the context of global change, in a move to bridge existing gaps between resilience, sustainability and social science. Using empirical examples ranging from local to global levels, views from a variety of disciplines are integrated to provide an essential resource for scholars, policy-makers and students, seeking innovative approaches to governance.
• Summary: This article investigates how newspapers in the Republic of Ireland are delivering ‘social work news’ during a period of professional flux and evolving economic crisis.
• Findings: Many citizens in the Republic are currently experiencing serious economic hardship partly related to the global recession. It is important to understand the shape which the crisis is taking and to try to ascertain how this is impacting on social work. The article refers to an unpublished study of newspaper coverage of social work between January 2006 and January 2008. In this context, in the second part of discussion, particular attention will be devoted to the interventions of The Irish Times columnist, John Waters. Also, to accounts of ‘high profile cases’, particularly those appearing to highlight the urgent need to establish a national emergency or ‘out-of-hours’ social work service. Here, the work of the social affairs correspondent, Carl O’Brien, will be discussed.
• Applications: Social workers and social work academics need to strive to understand, and politically situate, newspaper accounts of social work and related forms of activity. Moreover, social workers should seek to intervene and shape newspaper accounts of their work. The article suggests that a recent report produced in England may aid social workers deliberations and actions in this respect ( Social Work Task Force, 2009 ).
Analysing the experiences of abused women
- T K Das
- R Bhattacharyya
- F Alam
Das, T. K., Bhattacharyya, R., Alam, F., and Pervin. A. 2016. 'Domestic violence in Sylhet,
Bangladesh: Analysing the experiences of abused women', Social Change, 46(1): 1-18.
doi: 10.1177/0049085715618561.
Bangladesh logs highest weekly cases of COVID-19 deaths
- Dhaka Tribune
Dhaka Tribune. 2020. Bangladesh logs highest weekly cases of COVID-19 deaths. 30 May.
On https://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/2020/05/30/covid-19-deaths-top-600-cases-top-44-000