Child welfare practice during the Coronavirus pandemic in Norway

Abstract

Title: Child welfare practice under the Coronavirus pandemic in Norway Student: Eleni Spantidaki Supervisor: Ida Bruheim Jensen Keywords: Norway, Child welfare services, COVID-19 crisis, worker’s experiences This master project aimed to extend knowledge about how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected child welfare practice in Norway. The project explored child welfare workers’ experiences, the challenges, and potential positive aspects that the coronavirus pandemic crisis created in municipal child welfare services. It is a qualitative study that collected data through semi-structured interviews with three child welfare workers from two municipalities in Norway. The data were analysed by thematic content analysis method, and a description of the findings was presented. The crisis management consideration, social work principles and values, and ethics were chosen for detailed discussion cover by corresponding theories. Through the findings, it was clear that child welfare services have been challenged during the coronavirus pandemic crisis, but also, they found alternative ways to continue doing their duty and prevent a further escalation of the crisis.