- #CONTEMPORARY RURAL SOCIAL WORK JOURNAL SOFTWARE#
- #CONTEMPORARY RURAL SOCIAL WORK JOURNAL PROFESSIONAL#
#CONTEMPORARY RURAL SOCIAL WORK JOURNAL SOFTWARE#
Using clear protocols, communication is conducted through designated software with security protections (Baker et al. In this model, online communication is the single mode of service provision, substituting for face-to-face practice. Formal Online ICTs were depicted as standalone ICT programs/interventions, such as e-counseling and telepsychology (Boydell et al. Prior to COVID-19, ICTs impacted clinical practice in three distinct ways: formal, blended, and informal ICTs (Mishna et al. The purpose of the current study, consequently, was to explore the use of ICTs by social workers with clients in the context of COVID-19. With the suspension of all non-essential face-to-face social work (OCSWSSW 2020) social workers are, in effect, now relying on ICTs for all work and communication with clients. COVID-19, however, changed the context for social workers’ ICT use around the world. (86.9% ) used ICTs informally with clients (Mishna et al. In our recent survey, the majority of social workers in Canada (78.1% ), the U.S. 2014), social workers were increasingly using ICTs informally with clients to communicate between sessions, as an adjunct to face-to-face practice (Mishna et al. In addition to the adoption of ICTs to deliver formal service (e.g., e-counseling, tele-psychology) (Boydell et al.
ICTs include mobile devices (e.g., smartphones, tablets), computer hardware/software and other communication media (e.g., social media, text messaging). Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) permeated direct social work practice long before COVID-19. We discuss these themes and sub-themes and present implications for practice and research in a Post-COVID-19 world.
#CONTEMPORARY RURAL SOCIAL WORK JOURNAL PROFESSIONAL#
The second theme entails the impact of this transition which involved (a) greater awareness of clients’ degree of access, (b) confidentiality and privacy, and (c) professional boundaries. One, a paradigm shift for social workers was characterized by (a) diverse ICT options, (b) client-driven approach, and (c) necessary creativity. Analysis of transcribed interviews revealed that the context of COVID-19 had generated two main themes. Second interviews were based on a newly developed interview guide that explored social workers’ use of ICTs with clients in the context of COVID-19. Approximately 6 weeks after the cessation of face-to-face practice in March 2020 due to COVID-19 measures, we re-interviewed social workers (n = 11) who had participated in our study. Starting in April 2019, we conducted semi-structured interviews with social workers from four agencies serving diverse populations in a large urban centre, with the aim of exploring social workers’ informal ICT use with clients. With face-to-face practice restricted, almost all communication with clients shifted to ICTs. COVID-19 changed the context for Information and Communication Technology (ICT) use globally.
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