Abstract
The global COVID-19 pandemic envokes numerous challenges in many areas of societies, including social services. The idea of ‘social distancing’ contradicts the whole idea of social work and inevitably causes deepening social exclusion. This study is aimed to analyse peculiarities of Ukrainian social workers’ activities under severe quarantine restrictions or lockdown. Special attention is paid to local social services for the elderly as a group recognised as most vulnerable to COVID-19. A survey of representatives of territorial centres of social services in Ukraine, conducted in August 2020, revealed some problems caused by restrictive quarantine measures and positive changes in the centres. The study highlights some surprising contradictions in the impact of the pandemic on social work practice with the elderly. Social services providers in local communities (territorial centres of social services, social services centres for families, children, youth, etc.) received almost no additional support during the quarantine. Yet, they consider introducing new, distant forms of communication, adjusting the work schedule, etc., as positive changes in service provision. The study determines that the response to the challenges of a problematic situation depends on local characteristics and mostly on human resources – work organisation and professional adaptability. An important role belongs to the ability of social workers to act in emergencies, the availability of standard procedures, protocols, and resources for use in such situations, understanding the need to adhere to values of social solidarity. The specific applications from the study results are drawn for Ukrainian social work.
Highlights
The global COVID-19 pandemic threw down emergency alternations in many areas of societies [1, 14, 20]
The study highlights some surprising contradictions in the impact of the pandemic on social work practice with the elderly
This study aims to analyse Ukrainian social workers’ peculiarities under severe quarantine restrictions or lockdown
Summary
The global COVID-19 pandemic threw down emergency alternations in many areas of societies [1, 14, 20]. This pandemic becomes a disastrous crisis (real ‘Corona crisis’) for the Ukrainian state, market, and population. Visits to medical and social facilities were restricted. In addition to these measures, considerable attention has been paid to enhancing responsibility for one’s health and safe behaviour towards others, including hand hygiene, cough etiquette, physical (called ‘social’) distance, and self-isolation when necessary, to stop or slow down the spread of the virus. Strict nationwide lockdown to enable social distancing norms eventually turned into a so-called adaptive form, the restrictions for social services institutions continued
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
