The COVID-19 impact on Portuguese and Brazilian social workers: An exploratory study

• Autor(a) principal: Monteiro de Castro e Castro , Marina
• Data de Publicação: 2022
• Outros Autores: Ribeiro, Sónia
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: por
• Título da fonte: Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (Repositórios Cientìficos)
• Texto Completo: https://doi.org/10.31211/rpics.2022.8.2.275
• topic: COVID-19; Impacto; Pandemia; Serviço social; COVID-19; Impact; Pandemic; Social Work

Objective: This study aimed to analyze the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the professional reality of Portuguese and Brazilian social workers. Social workers were challenged to perform their professional practice, as an essential service, under conditions of great uncertainty and high risk, as was the case of the pandemic. The objective of the investigation is organized into three axes of analysis: 1) impact of the pandemic on the direct beneficiaries of the social work; 2) difficulties, challenges, and new practices and methodologies in social intervention; 3) reconciliation of personal/professional life and future concerns of these professionals. Methods: Data was collected through a sociodemographic and professional questionnaire and an interview guide. In Portugal, the videoconferencing platform Zoom was used to conduct 20 interviews with social workers, and in Brazil, 17 interviews were carried out in person. Results: Social distancing during the pandemic involved adopting virtual technologies in social work practice. In a professional practice where face-to-face is central to the relationship, confinement and isolation were major constraints. Social workers operated with insecurity, difficulties accessing personal protective equipment, intensifying work, and adaptation to a new work dynamic. Conclusions: The social workers surveyed, although exhausted, expressed that they were resilient and able to quickly adapt to new practices, refusing to abandon the values and ethical principles of the profession. Moreover, in a context of great uncertainty, little information, fear, and even with few resources, they kept in mind the sense of mission and solidary commitment that defines the profession to ensure people's access to rights, well-being, and safety.