Self-care among Slovenian social workers: understanding and barriers to self-care

Abstract

ABSTRACT In this study, we investigated what Slovenian social workers understand by self-care and what barriers to self-care are the most common. Almost all respondents in our sample agreed that self-care is very important for social workers’ well-being and professional practice. However, only 38% fully agreed that they know how to take care of their well-being, and only 23% of social workers surveyed take care of themselves on a daily basis. The most frequently mentioned self-care practices in the personal domain are eating a regular and healthy diet, spending quality time with enjoyable others, and spending time in nature. The least-mentioned practices are time away from the telephone, journal writing, engaging in personal psychotherapy, and meditation. Engaging with co-workers and attending supervision are the most mentioned practices in the organisational self-care domain, while negotiation skills and setting boundaries with users and co-workers are the least mentioned practices. The most common barriers to self-care are work overload and lack of time. As the field of self-care among social workers in Slovenia is still unexplored and unregulated, we have suggested the first possible steps on micro, mezzo, and macro levels.