Social Work and Disasters Systematic Literature

Abstract

Commissioned by BASW England during the evolving COVID-19 pandemic, this review explores the role of social work in disaster contexts. It was undertaken to inform future workforce planning and was mapped against BASW England’s guidelines for social workers providing emergency support and interventions. Drawing on 187 relevant international publications, the review addresses three core questions: 1. What are the roles that social workers perform in disaster situations? 2. How do they perform these roles? and, 3. How can their contribution be strengthened? The analysis identifies six key themes: ethical and practice tensions; the need for trauma-informed and psychosocial approaches; challenges and opportunities in multi-agency working; workforce preparedness and resilience; issues of visibility, value, and recognition; and the importance of community-led responses. Although most of the literature sits outside the UK context, the findings offer important insights for UK social work, particularly as it faces increasing climate-related, civil, and public health emergencies. The report concludes that social workers have a critical but often overlooked role in disaster preparedness, response, and recovery. Greater visibility, improved training, and clearer integration into emergency planning frameworks will be essential to ensuring the profession can respond confidently, ethically, and effectively in times of crisis.