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ABSTRACT
This study aims at analyzing the degree of training, use, and practice of the new technologies among the social work professionals in their work environment and at finding out their main reluctance or reservations to a more intensive use of ICTs in the performance of their tasks. For this purpose, a structured and closed questionnaire has been sent to the chairpeople of the professional organizations’ members of the International Federation of Social Workers Europe (IFSW Europe), which also includes Turkey and Israel. The reason for this choice lies in the fact that the representatives for the professional organizations have a privileged view on the situation of the profession from a global perspective and are the key informants on the current situation surrounding the social workers. This study allows us to know, among other results, that the success of ICTs among the professionals will depend on their ability to adapt to the specific professional nature of the social worker in the intervention domain. However, the uncertainty regarding the security of the personal data treatment, regarding the increase of the non included or paid work hours, and also, regarding the increase of professional stress are key factors explaining the reluctance of some professionals to a more intensive use of ICTs.
RESUMEN
La explosión en el uso de nuevas tecnologías está llevando a cambios significativos en las actividades profesionales de los trabajadores sociales. Estas transformaciones incluso afectan a cómo comprendemos y definimos los elementos y procesos involucrados en la intervención social. La Federación Internacional de Trabajadores Sociales de Europa (IFSW Europa) es una organización a la vanguardia del conocimiento sobre la praxis profesional del trabajo social en los países miembros. Por lo tanto, es un sensor importante, dentro del dominio profesional, para el uso de nuevas tecnologías de intervención social en el ámbito tecno-social. Promover y crear conciencia sobre estas tecnologías podría ayudar a evaluar las prácticas dentro de cada estado miembro, para generar una visión general del impacto del uso de nuevas tecnologías en los procesos empleados en los programas de intervención, proyectos de investigación y al diseñar políticas públicas. La base de este artículo es la información obtenida a través de la investigación ad hoc, donde los datos se recopilaron a través de una encuesta en línea presentada a los 37 presidentes de los consejos de trabajo social y las asociaciones de los estados miembros de la Federación. Las conclusiones nos han permitido identificar la desigualdad que estos usos y prácticas podrían generar entre los usuarios, además de la necesidad de percibir el acceso a las tecnologías como un nuevo derecho social.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.
Notes on contributors
Alfredo Hidalgo Lavié is Professor of Social Work at the National University of Distance Education (Spanish Open University-UNED) and Academic Secretary of the University Master's Degree in Social Work, Welfare State and Social Intervention Methodologies. PhD in Political Science. Specialist in issues of dependency and attention to the social group of adults and the use of new technologies in the discipline and the profession.
Ana Isabel Lima Fernandez is Spanish General Council of Social Work President. International Federation of Social Workers European Region President and IFSW Global Executive Member. International Council of Social Welfare, Spanish Comittee President (CEBS). Member at UP Spain (Unión Profesional). PhD in Social Work. Lecturer in the Department of Social Work of UCM (Madrid Complutense University), UNED Spain (Open University). Specialization Course on Social Services Management, experience of 22 years in direct intervention and Public Administration Social Services management