Climate change, disasters, and global events: Prioritization of communication, practice education and student mental health in social work disaster frameworks

Abstract

Social work has a long history of responding to disasters, crises, and wars, leading both national and international efforts, with schools of social work playing a key role in training future professionals. However, most research focuses on preparing students for disaster relief work, rather than educating them during disasters. This article introduces the Social Work Educators Disaster Framework, allowing educators to integrate their unique experiences, resources, and lessons learned. Key contributions include an evidence-based framework that incorporates student feedback and emphasizes continuous quality improvement. The framework is designed for global partners to enhance lessons and best practices for future disasters.