Digital Technology in adult social work with disabled service users
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Improving experiences regarding the use of digital technologies in interactions between service users and social workers in adult services: a qualitative service user-conducted enquiry to inform best practice
IRAS ID
297774
Contact name
Sophie Sarre
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
King’s College London
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 9 months, 19 days
Research summary
This study is about social workers using digital technologies when working with adult clients who are disabled with an impairment, by a long-term health condition or with a learning disability. We will focus on the use of email, telephone, text, video calls, or video conferencing to communicate with people remotely; or assistive technologies (such as converting speech to text and text to speech) with clients. During the COVID-19 pandemic social workers have had to use digital technologies to continue work previously done face-to-face. In future, some social work is likely to continue to be done in this way because it is time saving and cheaper.
The study will use researchers with lived experience of disability and service use to interview 30 adults disabled with an impairment or by a long-term health condition who use adult social work services; and 25 front-line adult social workers. We will also run a focus group to investigate the experiences of 5-10 people with learning disabilities. The aim is to improve the experiences of all groups in the use of digital technology in adult social work. We want to find out how different digital technologies are used; when it is and is not helpful, and for who. We are also interested in how it may affect important values like choice, person-centred care and equality. And we want to explore whether social workers know about the recent guidelines and whether or not they find them helpful.
We will work with stakeholders to produce 1) a practical guide for social workers for using digital technologies that meet the needs of both users and workers; and 2) information for service users to help them make choices about the use of digital technology with their social worker and to share with them what other service users have found helpful.
REC name
West Midlands - Coventry & Warwickshire Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
21/WM/0122
Date of REC Opinion
16 Jun 2021
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion