TY - JOUR
AU - Sen, Robin
AU - Daly, Maura
AU - McCulloch, Trish
AU - Grant, Scott
AU - Clarke, David J.
AU - Ferrier, Claire
PY - 2023
DA - July
TI - Ontological (in)security in early career social work during COVID-19: experiences in Scotland
JO - British Journal of Social Work
EP - 1013
VL - 54
IS - 3
DO - https://doi.org/10.1093/bjsw/bcad165
AB - The impact of COVID-19 on the working lives of professionals has been of much interest. Within social work, the pandemic had increased workload demands, while the way in which work was done had shifted significantly. This article uses data gathered from newly qualified social workers (NQSWs) who began their working lives during the pandemic. These first years in practice are viewed as an extension to social workers’ formal education and as a vital stage in their professional development. Survey (n=124) and interview (n=12) data were gathered from NQSWs across Scotland. Findings were considered through Giddens’ lens of ontological security, to explore NQSW transitions during a context of pandemic disruption and its impacts on NQSWs’ confidence and competence, as well as their sense of self and identity. Consistent with other studies, respondents were most impacted by home working and the associated isolation and separation from colleagues, particularly when engaged in emotionally charged work. Findings uncovered a trichotomy of experience, with variation in the quality and availability of formal and informal support, induction, training and development. Implications for practice include a need to focus on how we support and nurture NQSWs at such a critical stage in their professional socialisation.
PB - Oxford University Press
UR - https://discovery.dundee.ac.uk/en/publications/8c4931c2-0f9a-40d5-9ee2-42257a314d14
KW - Coronavirus (COVID-19)
ER