The evolving role and interventions of social workers with families with young children evacuated in wartime

Abstract The involvement of social workers in disaster management has been gaining increasing attention in recent years. However, despite their critical role as frontline service providers in disaster management, the field of disaster social work still lacks a coherent framework. Recent findings emphasize the need for a comprehensive approach that distinguishes between the various stages of disaster management, enabling a clearer understanding of social workers’ interventions. This qualitative study draws on the lived experiences of Israeli social workers to explore their engagement with families evacuated during the ongoing Israel–Hamas war. After nine months of evacuation and during the return home, three online focus groups were conducted with nine social workers. Data analysis indicates that the roles of social workers during wartime evolve through three key stages: (1) Professional chaos; (2) Service routinization; and (3) Service continuity and realignment upon returning home. These stages varied in terms of the families’ psychosocial needs, the interventions employed by social workers, and the professional challenges they encountered. Our findings emphasize the distinct roles social workers fulfill at different stages of disaster management, underscoring the need for policies that clearly define their responsibilities and better integrate their contributions to disaster response and recovery.