Field Placement Termination During COVID 19: Lessons on Forced Termination, Parallel Process, and Shared Trauma

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ABSTRACT

COVID-19 has created a less-than-ideal environment for social work education and practice, especially for student interns trying their best to navigate the ups and downs of the forced termination process. Supporting students in meeting this challenge during an era marked by shifting routines, revised learning plans, altered work environments, and increased collective stress is a daunting task for social work supervisors, agencies, faculty, and university administrators. This article offers a literature review on the following concepts: forced termination, parallel process, and shared trauma. These concepts are then used as analytic tools for understanding the potential effects of COVID-19 on the experiences of student interns navigating the forced termination process. A student case example is presented and analyzed, as is the faculty liaison’s response. Insights and considerations for managing forced termination during the pandemic are offered.

Acknowledgments

We acknowledge and honor the courage and dedication of social work students, practitioners, clients, faculty, field supervisors, and administrators in our continued efforts to navigate the COVID-19 era.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Pamela Szczygiel

Pamela Szczygiel, DSW, LICSW, is an Assistant Professor of Social Work at Bridgewater State University. Angelica Emery-Fertitta, LCSW, is a school-based social worker in the Boston area and a trauma sensitive yoga instructor.