Relationship-based social work and electronic communication technologies: anticipation, adaptation and achievement

ABSTRACT

While social workers continue to recognise the centrality of relationship in social work practice they are now trying to build and mediate relationships with service users in a context fundamentally changed by technology. The paper suggests that different modes of electronic communication are not simply add-ons to society but are altering the social texture of society including the ways that people relate and interact with others. The relationship base of social work is not immune or dislocated from the explosion of social media and electronic communication which is occurring in the wider society and, therefore, attention needs to be paid to the impact of these new technologies on the way in which social work is practised. Using qualitative research with early career stage social workers in Ireland this paper aims to contribute to knowledge on this emerging dimension of social work practice.

KEYWORDS:

• Social media
• communication technologies
• relational social work
• early career social workers

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Julie Byrne

Dr Julie Byrne is Assistant Professor in Online Education and Development at Trinity College Dublin. She is the Course Director of the wholly online Postgraduate Diploma in Social Policy and Practice, which she developed and launched in 2013. Her academic background is in human resource management and development, which she studied at Dublin City University and University College Dublin. She completed her doctoral thesis on professional careers at the University of Limerick. Julie was previously Director of Academic Programmes and Lecturer in Human Resource Management at National College of Ireland. In addition to her academic role, Julie provides consulting services to professional bodies and regulators on professional education and continuing professional development matters. Her research interests include the role of technology in human services, professional careers, professional regulation and online education and development.

Gloria Kirwan

Dr Gloria Kirwan is a Lecturer in Social Work in the Department of Applied Social Studies, Maynooth University. Prior to her appointment to Maynooth, she was Assistant Professor of Social Work in Trinity College Dublin where she is now Adjunct Professor. Gloria has also worked as a social worker and is currently a registered social worker in Ireland. In addition to her social work qualifications, Gloria also holds law degrees at primary and masters level. Her research interests are strongly influenced by the combination of her previous work experience in mental health, child welfare and community development alongside her commitment to promoting human rights and the participation of people in decisions that affect their lives. She has published on a range of topics including mental health, human trafficking, keyworking, groupwork, community development and the ethical dimensions of technology use in social work. In 2018, she was appointed as Co-Editor of the journal, Groupwork, which is published by Whiting & Birch. She is currently Special Guest Editor on a number of forthcoming publications for the Journal of Social Work Practice, Social Work and Social Sciences Review and the Journal of Technology in Human Services. Gloria is involved at committee level in a range of organisations and agencies including husITa, Focus Ireland, the Medical Council, CORU and Mojo. She is currently serving as External Examiner to the PiP programme at the Northern Ireland Social Care Council.