Social workers' adaptation in times of pandemic crisis: A Hong Kong case

Through the lens of the theory of planned behavior, this article explores how social workers adapt to a new situation due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Three focus group sessions were conducted with 23 social workers from child and youth, family, and elderly services in Hong Kong. Three major themes were generated: (1) repositioning the social work profession, (2) renegotiating contracts with funders, and (3) exploring novel intervention methods. Implications of the findings are discussed. To ensure social workers can respond effectively in crises, an evolving nature of the profession is advocated to enshrine its spirit to serve.

Automated summary

This article examines how social workers adapt to a new situation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic through the lens of the theory of planned behavior. Three major themes emerged from the study, including repositioning the social work profession, renegotiating contracts with funders, and exploring novel intervention methods. The findings have implications for the development of the social work profession to ensure effective responses in crises.