Information and communication technologies in the communication between the social worker and the client

Abstract

ABSTRACT In the recent decades, social work has undergone quite extensive process of digitisation. Since the 1970s, it had faced computerisation, which peaked in the 1990s. However, since the start of the 21st century information and communication technologies have changed significantly. They developed in many forms, became more accessible and penetrated the performance of social work, where they have become a common tool of work. The aim of the research was therefore to find out and describe how information and communication technologies, according to social workers, affects the form of Czech social work interventions with vulnerable children and their families. We used a qualitative research strategy and situation analysis as our research approach. We conducted interviews with 37 social workers of the Department of Social and Legal Protection of Children and Social Activation Services for Families with Children. One of the topics of the interviews was the electronic communication between social workers and their clients, which currently appears to be extremely important for emergency measures related to COVID-19. We focus on the benefits and pitfalls of e-communication as perceived by social workers, and in the discussion, we will present various options of dealing with them in practice.