| Abstract [eng] |
The COVID-19 pandemic changed not only people's lives, but also had a negative impact on the health system, the social security system and the other public sector. The situation has become a real challenge in the social services sector, as social services, including the Crisis center, have had to ensure the uninterrupted provision of services under quarantine conditions. The aim of the work is to reveal the experience of social workers who works in the X Crisis Center in providing social services to families at social risk during quarantine. To achieve the goal, the following tasks were set: to analyze the characteristics of social services; to define the peculiarities of the provision of social services to families at social risk; to reveal the experience of social workers of the X Crisis Center in providing services to families at social risk during quarantine. To achieve the research goal was chosen a qualitative research strategy using a semi- structured interview method. The study involved 9 social workers providing social services to families at social risk in the X Crisis Center for at least 5 years and working in the X Crisis Center before and during quarantine (from 14/03/2020 to 01/072021). The study revealed that families in the X Crisis Center are dominated by both physical and psychological violence, often violence against children. Families in crisis are in need of psychological help and support, economic and financial support, legal aid, and a sense of security, especially for children. The investigation revealed that during the quarantine, social workers encountered uncertainty, anxiety and tension, which frightened, caused annoyance, anger, and stress. Recipients felt the similar: anxious, afraid, living in uncertainty, tension and stress. Teleworking and education have been identified as one of the main challenges faced by service users during quarantine. The study revealed an increase in the workload of social workers in the Crisis center during quarantine. The reasons for this were the remote provision of services by both the X Crisis Center and other institutions, the change in the provision of contact services, the increase in the number of service recipients and more intensive childcare. The study found that the main cause of the increased workload was isolation, both for recipients and for staff with COVID-19 or who had been in contact with an infected person. |
