A message of hope: the challenges of relationship-based practice in a time of social distancing, but why it is more important than ever to come together

ABSTRACT

This article was written during June 2020, during the first Covid-19 national lockdown, with the aim of exploring fundamental changes within our profession as a result. It is written in a reflective and pensive style, with the intention of questioning how, as social workers, we can continue to work in a relationship-based way, at a time of social distancing when this has seemed impossible. This article argues that, despite ways of working having changed, it is more important than ever to strengthen human connections and relationships, despite the challenges and complexities we now face.

KEYWORDS:

• Covid-19
• social work
• student
• pandemic
• change
• relationships

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Emilie Wright

Emilie Wright is a social worker in a child safeguarding team. At the time of writing the article, the author was a student on the Step Up to Social Work qualification pathway with the University of Bedfordshire.