Dealing with the post-pandemic challenges faced by youths and families: The perspectives of social workers

Abstract

Even though the acute phase of the COVID-19 pandemic has passed, adolescents and their families are continuing to experience associated difficulties such as family stress, conflict, anxiety and social isolation. As part of a larger study on the problems people bring to social workers, this paper aims to describe the problems faced by adolescents and families since the pandemic according to the social worker perspective, and to offer some possible actions to address these problems. The context is a local area within Northeast Italy. The study presents a qualitative analysis of an empirical investigation involving a purposive sample of social workers employed by local authorities, social health services (e.g. family counselling centre), care homes, social services for minors and external enforcement services (enforcement of non-custodial criminal penalties and alternatives). A total of 46 social workers (4 males, 42 females; average age 50 years, range 26–62 years) were interviewed face-to-face using open-ended questions. The textual data collected were analysed by thematic content analysis. The results identified an increase in the number of young people dropping out of school and an increase in young people presenting behavioural problems. Another problem identified concerns parental vulnerability. The social workers nominated different possible strategies for dealing with the emerging issues, such as the development of new tools and technological know-how for understanding the social life of young people.