Regrets among social workers in welfare bureaus: different types and coping mechanisms

Abstract

ABSTRACT The article describes the types and strategies for dealing with professional regrets experienced by social workers. It draws data from semi-structured in-depth interviews with 21 Arab welfare bureaus social workers in Israel. Two types of professional regrets were identified: most interviewees expressed their regrets concerning non-intervention in general or not taking necessary steps for the client’s benefit. A few interviewees expressed regret concerning partially or completely failed interventions, or expressed suspicion or denial that there had been a failure. Five coping mechanisms for regrets were identified. Two extremes (succumbing versus release) to cope with regrets concerning not doing something and three (recognition of failure as a systemic rather than an individual product, an attempt to amend the mistakes in the present and sufficing with learning for the future) to cope with regrets concerning actual doing. Participants’ anecdotes reflected the uniqueness of this case study of social workers’ regrets, reinforcing conclusions of the sparse extant literature calling for openness and sensitivity concerning the specific context of the experience of professional regrets. The article increases awareness concerning this issue indicating that social work needs to re-define professional regret as an opportunity, not a challenge, in research, training and practice.