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In the context of socio-economic turbulence caused by situations and events with global impact, such as the recent COVID-19 pandemic and Russia’s aggression in Ukraine, social work has had to activate crisis intervention mechanisms and re-think its strategies for assisting the most disadvantaged populations. Events and situations with such a disruptive effect on societies (re)activate and enhance the dynamic and adaptive character of social interventions. While, generally, social workers are expected to generate positive social change with lasting effects on communities and individuals (Nandan, London, Bent-Goodley, 2015), in times of social crisis, especially, they are called upon to intervene creatively to protect the rights of people exposed to various forms of social injustice that often lead to widespread suffering and trauma. For the current issue of the Social Work Review we have invited social work scholars, researchers and practitioners to analyse and present social work responses to recent social crises that have challenged our ways of being, thinking and acting.
War has a profound psychosocial impact with long-lasting effects on the generations that follow. Looking at the many consequences of the current war in Ukraine, Cristina Gavriluţă and Alexandra Ştefania Nadane’s article brings to the fore the paramount issue of maternity protection during social crises. The article presents vivid examples of best practices in crisis intervention through case studies of several Ukrainian support centres that have been very quickly adapted to respond to the urgent needs of mothers and pregnant women. Their analysis reveals the inspiring power of interprofessional collaboration and civic engagement to protect future generations against the ailments of war, while at the same time highlighting the important role of social workers as catalysts of such brave initiatives.
The development of social work as a profession in different parts of the world has followed different processes and pathways, depending on the socioeconomic and political contexts, but with the same overarching mission of safeguarding human rights and social justice. Reflecting on the trajectory of the professionalisation of social work in Romania, in his article, Cristian Roşu walks us through the essential changes undergone by social work at the national level since becoming a regulated profession in 2004. The author’s careful analysis highlights the important progress of the Romanian social work system in recent years, while at the same time pinpointing some of the most pressing challenges still to me addressed by social
workers and policy makers on their way to straightening the profession.
Social innovation plays an essential role in the professionalisation of social work. Also focused on the Romanian context, Ioana Prodan’s article points to the need for innovation in social services and offers a thorough analysis of social innovation, including the complex network of social actors, institutional structures and processes needed to bring about either incremental or disruptive innovations. The author’s research on the perceptions of social service providers in Romania on the process of social innovation reveals important points of reflection about the shift in perception needed in order to enhance social innovation initiatives.
One area where innovation is constantly sought for is mental health. Through its many ramifications and social determinants, mental health is becoming an increasingly important field of practice for social workers. Alina Costin’s study sheds light on the coping mechanisms developed by families faced with the mental illness of a relative and the implications for social work practice. The article draws attention to the psychosocial effects of fragile mental health in the family ecosystem, such as stress and/ or depression and points out important applications of the social approach in providing support to the families of psychiatric patients.
As a promoter of positive social change, social work is oftentimes intertwined and imbued with the spirit of social activism. With regard to this, Ionuţ Cioarţă challenges the reader to reflect upon the implications of being an activist, raising crucial questions about identity and values pertaining to this work. Aiming to explore how social workers from Romania conceptualise and practice activism in their professional lives, the author begins with an analysis of the literature on activism and its relevance to social work. Further, some aspects related to the methodology are exposed, and finally, the findings informed by online surveys and interviews with Romanian social workers are presented.
The next three articles of the issue focus on the social impact of the COVID-19 crisis, the specific needs of disadvantaged populations during the pandemic and the authorities’ response to these needs. First, our attention is directed to Albania, from where Veronika Duci and Izela Tahsini discuss family strengthening in the context of the COVID–19 pandemic. The authors analyse the measures introduced by the Albanian government during the pandemic to respond to the needs of citizens and highlight areas where the provision of social services to vulnerable families and communities has remained a challenge. The authors present the results of a qualitative study on the current situation of family strengthening service provision from the perspective of social service specialists in Albania, highlighting several shortcomings of the approach being used. We then return to Romania through Lucia Neagoe’s article, which discusses the psychosocial implications of the COVID-19 pandemic on children living with a disability. By analysing the experiences of specialists employed in a daycare centre for children with disabilities in Pitesti, Arges county, the author highlights some of the challenges they faced during the pandemic. Carmen Palaghia’s article shifts the attention on the issue of crisis interventions in schools and points to the need for evidence-based practice.
Moving on, the next article takes us to the world of art. Andrei Tache Codreanu uses his experience as a film director to exemplify how art methods can converge with social work initiatives. The case study presented by the author shows that documentary filmmaking as a social work tool can lead to great benefits for its protagonists, by triggering a response similar to the one experienced in psychotherapy.
Ionuţ Militaru’s article draws attention to the professional challenges faced by social workers who are active in the field of adoptions. The author discusses psychological constructs such as moral distress and eustress and their implications to the experiences of specialists who are bound to various organisational limitations. The author’s practical experience makes the article very clear in presenting the range of psychological challenges of social workers from the adoptions field. Another challenging topic is proposed by Loredana Florentina Bozariu who, through her article, takes us to the worlds of care of the children affected by parental migration, exposing the challenges of the transnational care strategies used by parents.
Claudia Constantinescu and Monica Florina Zdrite bring to the spotlight another social vulnerability exposed by the recent pandemic, one that is less visible but nevertheless important to social work: the challenges faced during the pandemic by people with hearing disabilities. The authors point out how the social distancing public measures adopted during the COVID-19 pandemic (i.e., wearing protective masks and maintaining a certain physical distance between people) profoundly impacted the lives of people living with a hearing disability in Romania. The authors explore the psychosocial implications of these measures and identify examples of good practices in this area.
The next three articles in the issue bring to discussion a few of the many nuances and challenges of contemporary families in Romania, such as underage motherhood, sex education, and the implications of differing parenting styles and divorce. Cristina Todiraşcu makes a thorough analysis of the situation of underage mothers in Romania. The author presents the results of a mixed-method study on the perceptions of specialists in the socio-medical field on working with teenage mothers but also on the perceptions of young students regarding the usefulness of sex education and the development of sex education programs in schools across Romania. Next, Daniela Maria Boşca’s article draws attention to the concept of parenting styles and presents the results of a study that shows that adolescents in Romania tend to describe the parenting styles that they experienced as either democratic or authoritative, with notable differences between the approaches of mothers and fathers. Marian Mocanu reflects on the impact of marital divorce on the father-son relationship, through a study that analyses the perception of sons regarding their relationship with their fathers, after remaining in the mothers’ care.
The pandemic has had notable effects on social work education. Ana Maria Dumitrescu’s article gives insight on some of the challenges faced by social work students at the University of Pitesti, Romania, engaged in e-teaching and e-learning activities during the pandemic. Mirela Anghel’s article gives valuable insights into the social-cultural profile of Romanians living in Scotland. The author presents the results of a study conducted in the region of Fife, analysing the nuances of the national and cultural identity of the expat Romanian community. In her article, Sandica Ion examines the applications of mindfulness for the emotional and behavioural regulation of children and adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorders. The issue ends with Georgiana Rentea’s thorough review of the book Social context, knowledge and action in social work, coordinated by Professor Doru Buzducea.
The articles gathered in this volume expose a broad range of pressing social issues that have been amplified by recent crises and have impacted the lives of many. As the papers presented here show, social workers have responded to these critical issues with targeted crisis intervention initiatives, helping those in the direst of circumstances. As each social crisis unfolds its consequences, social work remains a driving force for social justice and a profession capable of readjusting to the rapidly changing dynamic of the social reality. Each crisis is yet another opportunity to further develop professional abilities and strengthen social work practice.
References
Nandan, M., London, M., Bent-Goodley, T. (2015). Social Workers as Social Change Agents: Social Innovation, Social Intrapreneurship, and Social Entrepreneurship, Human Service Organizations: Management, Leadership & Governance, 39, 1, 38-56, DOI: 10.1080/23303131.2014.955236
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