Digital social work with children and youth: A new challenge in professional practice

Abstract

Digital Social Work is defined as an application of technology in social work practice. The deployment of technology becomes more crucial when working with children and youth because ICTs are an integral part of children and youth. This study explores how digital technology supplements in-person meetings in social work practice with children and youth. Qualitative research was chosen to understand the experience of social workers using technology. The study was conducted through purposive sampling with children and youth social workers in Lithuania, Latvia, and Slovakia. This research included 15 social workers in total. Data was gathered through online and in-person interviews, then evaluated using content analysis. Document analysis was also used to support this study by assessing each country's DESI (Digital Economy and Society Index) and Ethical Code. This study result showed that using digital technologies helps the work to be more effective and supports the intervention process despite the challenges and ethical aspects that must be considered. The intervention process that applies technology helps the client’s engagement, encourages the client’s change, extends assistance possibility, external support opportunities, and supportive Interdisciplinary Work. Social workers face challenges before applying digital technology and during implementation. They also need to consider some ethical aspects of professional boundaries that might be blurred because of social networks, confidentiality, and informed consent. By using digital technology, social workers not only emphasize its application but also comprehend what it can accomplish, keeping in mind that technology cannot be generalized in all cases and is determined by the client's condition, the available support, and the social worker's ability.