Social workers in times of the Sars-CoV-2 coronavirus epidemic. First Polish experiences

• Authors: Wilk, Sławomir , Szpoczek, Monika

Abstracts

EN

The spread of the epidemic of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus and the announcement of the state of epidemic emergency determined the necessity of the changes in the functioning of the social welfare units. This article is an analysis of the literature sources related to the functioning of the social workers during natural disasters, that have served as the basis for conclusions. In addition, twelve pilot interviews with social workers were conducted. Previously the institutions were not prepared for such a threat, did not have procedures nor regulations and means of self-protection. In the times of the epidemic the feminization of the profession of a social worker and the fact of the necessity of taking care of the children of the age of up to 8 years, resulted in the staff shortages. The new reality created the necessity to reorganize the work system of the social assistance units especially in the area of the safety regulations that is to say teleworking, rotational work and shift work, limitations in dealing with the clients and fieldwork, conducting community interviews by phone. Working at residential care facilities, which were closed to protect their residents from infection, has become of particular nature. Due to the epidemic situation, normative acts regarding benefits for persons threatened by the infection of SARS-CoV-2 virus, implementation of assistance for persons experiencing violence or support for people in crisis of homelessness are constantly changing. The text discusses in detail five factors hindering the performance of professional activities for employees of social assistance units: organizational and legal, physical, interpersonal, ethical and psychological. Finally, it is essential to start working by applying the method of organizing local communities (and using social capital), as its absence will be a barrier to the development of Polish municipalities after the epidemic.

Keywords

EN

social workers; work methodology; epidemic; disaster; SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus

• Publisher: Akademia Pedagogiki Specjalnej im. Marii Grzegorzewskiej. Wydawnictwo APS
• Journal: Praca Socjalna
• Year: 2020
• Volume: 35(2)
• Pages: 84-105

Dates

published

2020-05-19

Contributors

author

Wilk, Sławomir

author

Szpoczek, Monika

Identifiers

DOI

10.5604/01.3001.0014.1490