Social Work Practice during the COVID-19 State of Emergency in Spain

Abstract

Spain has been hardest hit by the pandemic and, thus, one of the first to implement the strictest confinement measures. Social service is a key sector for alleviating the negative social impacts of the country's healthcare crisis and confinement. This has represented a big challenge for social workers, who have been obligated to take on larger caseloads, new responsibilities, and a new working environment. Social workers have had to handle these issues from a work setting plagued by uncertainty, coping with a crisis never experienced before.
We conducted an online survey during the pandemic to aim to investigate what kind of work has developed by the social workers of the social service at the Community of Madrid and the City Council. Respondents felt stressed and confused by lack of coordination between care and public health agencies. They have had to manage aids and assistance related to food and hygiene, emotional support and general information on the pandemic, as well as all financial aids allocated by the administration. Teleworking became regular which undoubtedly has contributed to reducing any lingering reservations they still had about this method.