Social Work Core Competencies in Disaster Management Practice: An Integrative Review

Citation

Sim T, He M & Dominelli L (2022) Social Work Core Competencies in Disaster Management Practice: An Integrative Review. Research on Social Work Practice, 32 (3), pp. 310-321. https://doi.org/10.1177/10497315211055427

Abstract
Purpose: Though social workers are increasingly engaged in the disaster management, there has been a lack of professional guidelines for social work practice and training in this emerging field. This study aims to develop a rudimentary social work competence framework to plug this gap. Method: We conducted an integrative review of 183 international empirical studies and practice reflections, comprising a systematic search, selection, review, and content analysis, guided by ecological systems theory. Results: This rudimentary framework consists of 73 competencies, including 33 micro-level competencies, 18 meso-level ones and 22 macro-level ones, covering knowledge, values and skills in four disaster management phases. Conclusion: Compared to other competence frameworks, this framework further elucidated and classified the salient knowledge, values, and skills in disaster management training and practice for social work.

Keywords
competence; disaster management; integrative review; reflective practice; ecological systems theory

Journal
Research on Social Work Practice: Volume 32, Issue 3