Social work disaster emergency response within a hospital setting

Abstract

This article outlines the social work contribution to a series of post-disaster emergency response interventions occurring in the Canterbury region between 2007 and 2012. While the earthquakes of September 4th 2010 and February 22nd 2011 provide the major focus for discussing the tasks and processes involved in emergency response interventions, an earlier critical incident involving a large number of youth prompted the development of the emergency response protocols. These protocols are discussed in light of the social work response to the Canterbury earthquakes. The challenges encountered through working in a rapidly changing physical and professional context are outlined including a discussion about the application of diverse forms of debriefing. New learning for social work practice derived out of engagement with emergency response work is summarised.

Social work disaster practice

“…In New Zealand, the profile of social work disaster practice has been shown to be limited ), yet there is considerable evidence of involvement of social workers in the different phases of disaster management (for example, Maher & Maidment, 2013;van Heugten, 2014). These disaster management phases are commonly referred to as reduction, readiness, response, and recovery.…”

Engaging social workers in disaster management: Case studies from New Zealand

“…Examples of social workers' engagement in disaster events include compiling and updating comprehensive information on services and resources to direct individuals and families to community-based supports (Maher & Maidment, 2013), establishing information centres to link service users and family members (Maher & Maidment, 2013), ensuring the continuation of social services remotely (IFSW, 2020), harnessing technology to enable communication between service users and family members (Redondo-Sama et al, 2020), collaborating with agencies for the provision of immediate basic needs such as food and housing (Redondo-Sama et al, 2020), providing one-on-one or family based psycho-social support to address trauma and loss (Du Plooy et al, 2014), coordinating phone lines (Du Plooy et al, 2014;IFSW, 2020;Maher & Maidment, 2013); negotiating with other organisations (Shevellar & Westoby, 2014) and establishing new planning frameworks and protocols for current and future disaster events (Cooper-Cabell, 2013;Maher & Maidment, 2013).…”

Social worker experiences in disaster management: Case studies from Aotearoa New Zealand

“…At times this work has been specified as part of their professional role, although often social workers have unexpectedly found themselves working in recovery and response efforts following disaster events (Hugman, 2010). Examples of social worker engagement in disaster events include the creation and implementation of helplines and other immediate support services (Dominelli, 2014;Maher & Maidment, 2013); the establishment of new planning frameworks and protocols for current and future events (Cooper-Cabell, 2013;Maher & Maidment, 2013); direct client work with existing and new service users with a particular focus on psychosocial practice addressing trauma, grief and loss (Briggs & Heisenfelt Roark, 2013;Du Plooy et al, 2014); and community connectedness and development pre-and post-disaster (Alston et al, 2018;Milner, 2013;Shevellar & Westoby, 2014;Tudor et al, 2015).…”