Social work practice following the COVID-19 pandemic: reflections from Brazil, India and Scotland

Abstract

COVID-19 impacted globally, on individual health, care systems and social reproduction. Excessive death, lockdowns and social policy change had immediate and long-term national and global implications. Attention has been given to the immediate consequences, including its disproportionate impact on parts of society such as older people, “black” and “ethnic minorities”, and migrants. This raises questions for social work about wider enduring lessons including social inequality and globalisation. Reflecting across three countries, we encourage debate on future professional lessons, recognising constraints the pandemic has imposed and the dilemma of relying on historical precedents, of which we now find we have none.