Social Work Practice with Adults under the rising second wave of Covid-19 in England: frontline experiences and the use of professional judgement

TY - JOUR

T1 - Social Work Practice with Adults under the rising second wave of Covid-19 in England: frontline experiences and the use of professional judgement

AU - Manthorpe, Jill

AU - Harris, Jess

AU - Burridge, Stan

AU - Fuller, James

AU - Martineau, Stephen

AU - Ornelas, Bruno

AU - Tinelli, Michela

AU - Cornes, Michelle

PY - 2021/7

Y1 - 2021/7

N2 - The impacts on adult social work in England of the Covid-19 pandemic were sudden and are proving long-standing. In England, many social workers moved to home working and virtual contact with colleagues, managers, staff from other agencies and service users. A first national lockdown was followed by a lessening of restrictions, but a second wave started at the end of Summer 2020 and restrictions were re-introduced. This study draws on telephone interviews with a sample of twenty-two social workers working with adults in a wide range of roles and settings in ten local authorities and two National Health Service Hospital Trusts, interviewed August October 2020. Following transcription, interview data were analysed thematically. Findings are reported under three emerging themes: using professional judgement, new and emerging case work and embedding change. These are compared with findings from studies of practice in children s services and of surveys of social workers during the Covid-19 pandemic. Implications for practice, service users and research are explored.

AB - The impacts on adult social work in England of the Covid-19 pandemic were sudden and are proving long-standing. In England, many social workers moved to home working and virtual contact with colleagues, managers, staff from other agencies and service users. A first national lockdown was followed by a lessening of restrictions, but a second wave started at the end of Summer 2020 and restrictions were re-introduced. This study draws on telephone interviews with a sample of twenty-two social workers working with adults in a wide range of roles and settings in ten local authorities and two National Health Service Hospital Trusts, interviewed August October 2020. Following transcription, interview data were analysed thematically. Findings are reported under three emerging themes: using professional judgement, new and emerging case work and embedding change. These are compared with findings from studies of practice in children s services and of surveys of social workers during the Covid-19 pandemic. Implications for practice, service users and research are explored.

KW - Covid-19

KW - social work

KW - England

KW - adults

KW - practice

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85112465613&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1093/bjsw/bcab080

DO - 10.1093/bjsw/bcab080

M3 - Article

SN - 0045-3102

VL - 51

SP - 1879

EP - 1896

JO - British Journal of Social Work

JF - British Journal of Social Work

IS - 5

M1 - bcab080

ER -