Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
JOURNAL OF SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE, cilt.40, sa.2, ss.211-227, 2026 (SSCI, Scopus)
This study examines the digital social work landscape in Türkiye by exploring how practitioners interpret the rapid digitalisation of their professional environment. Using a qualitative phenomenological design, in-depth interviews were conducted with eight social workers from diverse practice fields, including migration and disability services. The findings show that digital tools have enhanced accessibility and operational efficiency and have become permanent components of practice following the COVID-19 pandemic. However, participants also highlighted significant challenges, including weakened relational depth, digital inequalities among service users, ethical vulnerabilities related to privacy and confidentiality, and an increased bureaucratic workload. Overall, the results indicate that digitalisation in social work is not a purely technical transition but a socio-ethical process shaped by institutional capacity, professional culture and organisational priorities. The study underscores the need for strategic policy development, strengthened digital competence and clearer professional role definitions to ensure ethically grounded and sustainable digital social work practice.